


One Super Soldier Too Many

by Marvel SWEET-E (wellaty)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: A bit of Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Bucky Barnes, BAMF Steve Rogers, BAMF Tony Stark, Brainwashing, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, F/M, Female Tony Stark, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Minor Character Death, Multi, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2018-12-09 10:37:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 30,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11667411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellaty/pseuds/Marvel%20SWEET-E
Summary: They say third time's the charm, is the second time pure unadulterated luck?In a world where Captain America's sacrifice didn't stop HYDRA from taking over the world, and SHIELD is the only resistance in their way, what happens when the Captain is recovered by them?Toni Stark's world turned upside down when HYDRA cemented their dictatorship, and the Winter Soldier's loyalty shifted in the following 17 years.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I really hope you'll like this story; it's my first one and I'm really nervous. English really isn't my native language, so any errors are in fact mine.
> 
> This story only follows the events of Captain America: The First Avenger, any knowledge of other Marvel Movies isn't required.

 

  
Natasha Antonia Stark, eight years old, was in the car when the accident happened… The stranger on a motorcycle, whom her father, Howard, addressed as Sergeant Barnes, killed him while her mother, Maria, sat in the passenger seat begging the assassin to spare her little girl’s life before the Sergeant crushed her throat with his gleaming hand…

Toni was sitting in the back, crying and screaming, when the car door next to her was yanked out, and the stranger grabbed her forcefully before knocking her out with a handkerchief covering her mouth and nose…

The little girl woke up surrounded by lab coat wearing strangers staring at her with wonder and curiosity. “Who are you?” She rasped out, tired and weak unable to fully process the situation she was in.

‘Get up, Toni! You need to fight!’ Her fight or flight response was slowly rising as Aunt Peggy’s voice urged her in her head.

“Oh, don’t worry… You’re in good hands.” The accent was definitely German.

Toni knew not to trust him, knew she was drugged and certainly knew she’s been kidnapped. ‘Get up, Toni!’ She tried to sit up only to realize she was restrained, a whimper escaped her mouth as her eyes frantically took her surroundings before settling on a shadowy figure standing in a corner.

Her heart-rate was increasing, and she could feel herself break out in cold sweat. “You… You killed mom and dad.” He stared at her blankly which only fueled her frustration. “You killed them… You killed them…” She was probably screaming and hysterical at this point, but she didn’t care, he killed her mom.

It was too late by the time she realized one of the scientists there shot her up with a sedative as her mind and heartbeat slowed down.

“You should count yourself lucky, then. You’re with us now and no one is going to come and save you. You’ll be the key to our victory.”

“What do you want?” She should be proud of herself, even when her words were slurring she managed to keep her voice steady… Although, she knew she was quickly losing the fight against unconsciousness as her vision was littered with black spots.

“Just order… And order only comes from pain. Are you ready for yours, Antonia?” She shivered, trying desperately to step away, to escape.

“Hail HYDRA.”

And with a dawning realization, a single tear fell down her cheek as the darkness claimed her.

 

 

“You’ll be placed in a room and you’ll have everything you need there sweetie. Your training should start tomorrow.” A woman with blond hair told her, her Russian accent very obvious.

“Training?” She asked as some guards escorted her to a prison-like room.

“Yeah sweetie. Dr. Whitehall said it, order only comes through pain.”

“I don’t understand… W-What…”

“Oh sweetie, you’ll understand… Soon enough.”

  
 

 

“ _ **Нью-йорк (New York).**_ ”

“Come on, bambino… We’re moving.”  
“Where to, mama?” Toni clutched her small bag in her little hands as she followed her mom to the family car.  
“Your father bought a mansion in New York… It’s going to be our new home.”

“ _ **Декабрь (December).**_ ”

“Papa!!” Toni screamed as she watched the gleaming hand of the stranger punch her dad’s face.  
Then to her horror, she saw him approaching her mom. “Don’t be afraid, bambino… Stay strong. I love you.” Maria whispered brokenly to her small child, looking at her from the side view mirror.  
Toni’s tears broke loose as she watched the life in her mother’s eyes die out… The dark figure finally came for her while Toni screamed and scrambled to get ahold of the Bucky bear which fell when the car collided with the tree…

“ _ **Говард (Howard).**_ ”  
“Papa! Papa!! Look…” Toni with a wide smile wanted to show her father the circuit board she just completed, only for her smile to slowly die as she was met with the glare of her father who swatted the circuit board from Toni’s hands like some fly.  
“Maria!!! Come take her away! Don’t you know I hate being interrupted?” Howard shouted as Toni ran after her circuit board, trying to piece the broken thing together while tears ran down her cheeks… This was her second mistake. “Are you crying?” Her father’s voice was so cold and calculating, it made Toni break out in shivers.  
“N-No…” She quickly realized this was her third mistake.  
“Are you lying to me?!” His eyes were so full of rage as he slapped Toni with enough force to have her fall down on the floor with a heavy thud, her bottom lip quivering and her eyes filling once again with tears. “No child of Stark cries!!! Stark men are made of iron…” His thunderous voice exclaimed before his gaze filled with disappointment. “Oh how I wish we had a boy.”

“ _ **Пиано (Piano).**_ ”

Try to remember the kind of September when life was slow and oh, so mellow  
Try to remember the kind of September when grass was green and grain was yellow  
Try to remember the kind of September when you were a tender and callow fellow  
Try to remember and if you remember then follow

Her mother was playing on the piano while singing the song Toni was used to hearing by now… Toni was sitting on the couch next to the piano, clutching her Bucky bear and listening to her mother’s voice.

She didn’t realize the music stopped until Maria called after her. “Toni bambino… Come… You want to learn how to play on the piano?”

Toni lit up like a Christmas tree and ran towards her mother... The two of them spent all the afternoon with Maria teaching Toni to play.

“ _ **Итальянский (Italian).**_ ”

“Mama…” Toni was in bed, and Maria was sitting next to her, intending to tell her a bed time story.

“Tell me bambino?”

“What does bambino mean?”

“Oh sweetie. It’s Italian for ‘baby’.”

Toni’s eyes were sparkling at the new information. “Are you Italian, Mama?”

“I am…”

“Does that mean I’m Italian, too?” The wonder in her child’s voice made her chuckle softly.

“Yes, bambino…”

“Can I… Can I learn how to speak Italian?” Toni asked, fully expecting her mother to reject. After all, these days, her father always refused to give her what she wanted.

“Of course, sweetheart.” Maria kissed Toni’s forehead while smiling at her tenderly. “I’ll help you learn Italian.”

“ _ **Алкоголь (Alcohol).**_ ”

When her father was away, Toni would often sneak into his study and pick up some of the books she was tall enough to reach, and she’d spend the entire day, reading and learning all there is to know… Maybe someday, her father would be proud of her and her work… Toni knows that day would come. And she needs to be prepared.

One day, Howard came earlier than expected and saw Toni sitting in his study with one of his books in her laps, and then he lost it… All Toni could remember that day was the smell, the alcohol.

“ _ **Восемь (Eight).**_ ”

“Happy birthday, bambino!!!” Maria exclaimed as she woke Toni up.

“Happy birthday, little Stark.” Jarvis came into her room with breakfast in hand and all the different foods she ever liked.

“Happiest birthday, little one!” Ana smiled at her warmly as she helped Toni dress up for the special day. “You want to know who came to see you today?”

“Who?” Toni was smiling from ear to ear.

“Peggy and Daniel…” Ana chuckled as Toni’s smile grew tenfold. “They’re downstairs… Come on, let’s finish up dressing and we’ll go see them, okay?”

“Okay!”

“Aunt Peggy! Uncle Daniel.” Toni ran up to Peggy and hugged her. “I’ve missed you.”

A chorus of ‘aw’ came from Jarvis, Ana and Maria. “We’ve missed you too.” Peggy replied as Toni went to hug Daniel.

“We’ve come bearing gifts.”

By the end of that day, after every single one of her loved ones whispered in her ear variations of ‘I love you’ and with no sighting of Howard, Toni realized it may well be the best birthday she’s had in her entire life…

“ _ **Капитан (Captain)**_.”

Toni’s room was filled with Captain America memorabilia… From Captain America teddy bears, to vintage posters, to a prototype of his shield, a figurine, comic books, video reels, photos… But it was the stories… It was the stories she listened to that made Toni actually fall in love with the hero… Stories she would hear from Aunt Peggy as bed-time stories whenever she came by; Peggy even gave her a photo of how Steve used to be before he underwent the super soldier project, this was particularly around the time, Toni became the perfect candidate for bullying.

Those stories were also the only time Toni could spend hours with her dad without it turning into a shouting and violent match… So she cherished them, and admired her dad even more for being so intent on finding the fallen soldier… Besides, Toni always dreamt of meeting him and spending time with him… Maybe someday she’ll get to call him ‘Uncle Steve’, the way she calls Aunt Peggy and Uncle Daniel… And maybe that day, when her father would find him, she would finally deserve Howard’s pride and love. It was after all the thing she’s been wishing ever since her fourth birthday whenever it was time to blow the candles…

“ _ **Good morning, инженер. (Good morning, engineer.)**_ ”

 

  
 

“What is this?” The two agents asked as they walked slowly and steadily inside the aircraft they spotted.

“Careful.” One of them warned the other who slipped a little on the ice.

“Sir!” The agent removed a layer of ice from a colored object which doesn’t seem exactly coordinated with the interior of the dull aircraft.

“What is it?”

“My God.” The man exclaimed as he regarded the object with wonder.

“Base, get me in line with the Director.”

“It’s three am, sir.” A voice from the com lines came.

“I don’t care what time it is.” The agent replied. “This one’s waited long enough.”

“Oh my God! This guy’s still alive.”

  
 

 

When Steve woke and found out they were lying to him, he didn’t expect himself to have missed 70 years of his lifetime, nor did he expect the world to have fallen under HYDRA’s control even after his ‘sacrifice’…

Now he was with the SHIELD. They were the only rebellion left; the only hope the world had against an organization as well spread as HYDRA.

It took about two years for Steve to be brought back up to speed and deemed fit for combat… Two years in which he underwent various therapy sessions with one of the base’s therapists to deal with his mental issues as well as followed numerous training sessions with the top agents remaining Black Widow, Hawkeye and Agent Coulson… Two years for him to actually know the extent of HYDRA’s victory and hold over the world…

In those two years, he was informed of the fate of the people he knew back in WWII, how they lived their lives without him, moved on and made families… Steve was actually relieved that Peggy found someone and made a family, he was surprised to know that a relative of hers was with them; Sharon Carter aka Agent 13 was the one to help him acclimate to the new world and to the new technology. Apparently, Peggy was still alive, but suffering from Alzheimer which is why she was staying in an elderly home…

Howard’s file told a different story altogether as it became the object of his nightmares several nights after he read it. His friend had married a beautiful woman and had a daughter from her: His daughter was apparently a child prodigy, building a circuit board at the age of 4 and a motorcycle engine at the age of 7; the scientific community was expecting great things from Natasha Antonia Stark. However, on December 16th 1991, a tragic ‘accident’ took the lives of the Stark family member including that of the eight years old; it was later revealed that the accident was in fact staged, that HYDRA was behind it. When national television reported the new findings, people feared HYDRA even more which was exactly what the organization was aiming for.

This information set back Steve’s recovery in terms of his survivor’s guilt; the knowledge that he outlived a young girl who didn’t even have a chance at life devastated him; the thought that he wasn’t good enough, that he hadn’t done enough to spare his friend’s family such a fate, and the fact that he was one of the girl’s idols only fueled his anger and determination to avenge her and all the victims who had fallen at the hands of HYDRA…

It was how the Avengers Initiative came to be. Steve was discussing with Fury mission strategies because even though he was on the reserves doesn’t mean he’ll just sit there and watch, and somehow the conversation evolved into talking about how Howard had expressed his worries about the possibility that HYDRA was in fact lurking in the shadows… The super soldier found himself exclaiming his own feelings about what happened and the word just slipped… “I want to avenge them…”

“This is exactly it!”

The Avengers Initiative is supposed to be a team of people with exceptional skills who would train the agents in the Compound, and be the face of the revolution when the time comes…  
It included Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow who’s a master assassin and spy with incredible agility and precision, her weapon of choice is mainly guns, knives and shock inducing gloves; Clint Barton aka Hawkeye who’s also a master assassin and spy with the added deadly sniper precision, his weapon of choice is the archaic bow and arrow; Sam Wilson aka Falcon who’s the human air support, with the flying suit with mechanical wings; Bruce Banner aka Hulk, whose alter-ego Hulk is literally another him, angrier, stronger and definitely greener-themed than human Bruce. When not hulked out, Bruce is the head of the Scientific Division in the Compound; and then there’s him, Captain America with the Vibranium shield.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I hope you liked it? Share your thoughts with me, I'll be happy to respond.


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

 

“Солдат…” Sitting in her workshop, her mind focused on the metal arm she had on her workbench, Toni couldn’t help but glance cursorily at the expressionless man in front of her. He met her gaze, but didn’t utter any word; it was as close to a permission to continue as she was going to get. “W-What’s your name?” It was the first time Toni ever initiated a conversation with the Winter Soldier, even though they’ve known each other for quite some time, Toni always being the one to upgrade and fix his arm whenever he was sent out on a mission.

She was met with an echoing silence… It made her uneasy, so she gathered her courage and looked up once again only for her eyes to lock onto the Asset’. “I don’t… I don’t have a name.” He muttered slowly as if searching for the correct words to say, and it was completely normal when you spend the majority of your life speaking Russian. It was the first time Toni heard his voice, and she quickly realizes that the Asset is from the USA, like her, just from the way his English sounds, flawless without any lingering accents.

“Sure you do… You don’t remember?” Toni tilted her head at him, all work on his metal arm forgotten.

“Нет…”

“Did you… Do you go through the chair, too?” At his nod, Toni continued. “My handler said the chair is for people who want to forget their past in order to better serve the cause. Sometimes, in order to do that, the individual’s name is also erased…” The Asset shrugged. “Do you want me to give you a name?”

“Нет.”

She explained. “I just… I want to call you something other than Asset and Солдат. Can I?”

“I… I don’t know if I’ll remember.”

Toni smiled at that before picking up the work on the arm. “It’s okay… I’ll remind you.” He looked at her, his face still blank, but somehow she could feel a bit of the darkness inside of him easing. “So, can I?” He nodded. “James…” When she said the name he frowned, and grimaced as if in pain. “Is this… Is it okay?”

The Asset nodded before the two of them went back to their companionable silence.

“Natasha!” Agent Rumlow came into the workshop and approached them.

“Yes, Agent Rumlow?” Toni stood as he came closer. She never did like when they called her ‘Natasha’, but she didn’t know why, so she didn’t insist.

“Your handler sent me here to pick up the new body armor and weapons, you said they were finished.”

Toni nodded before moving to where the items mentioned were laid. “Here they are… Additional models are being manufactured as we speak.”

Rumlow examined them before smirking. “Good work… Oh he also sent a message along. He wants you to begin training.”

“T-Training? The chair?"

Rumlow laughed. “No… No honey. It’s been a long time since you last needed the chair… The handler’s proud of you, you’ve been perfectly stable for the last three years.” He patted her shoulder. “Which is why he wants you to start training with the Winter Soldier there…”

“Winter Soldier?” Toni looked behind her towards where the soldier sat, meeting his eye. “Alright… But why? Is there a reason?”

“Your handler wants you to become a field operative, and he can’t have you being the weak link… You don’t want us to be weaker, do you?” He asked her skeptically.

Toni immediately raised her hands. “No, no of course not… I won’t be the weak link…”

“You do know this training is going to be painful?”

Rumlow was smirking at her, knowing full well what she was going to say. “It’s okay… Order only comes from pain.”

“That’s right… And yours was very long and exhausting, wasn’t it?” His smile turned vicious and predatory for a second there when Toni nodded as she swallowed. “It was worth it, in the end. Hail HYDRA.”

“Hail HYDRA.” She answered back and watched him as he made his way out.

“Do you remember any of it?” The Winter Soldier asked her after a beat.

“The pain?” Toni asked.

“Yeah…”

“A little… Enough. Do you?”

“Me too.” Toni looked at him for a minute, studying him.

“We made it through in the end, didn’t we?”

The Asset nodded a couple of times before he got up and left his station, leaving Toni alone in the empty workshop.

 

 

“Are you ready, Natasha?” Toni was in a sports bra and workout shorts in the ring, facing the Asset; She nodded. “Alright then… Training report: First session. You can begin.” As soon as he finished the word, the Winter Soldier charged. “Don’t pull back your punches, soldier… She needs to learn.”

She had no idea where the punches were coming from, and soon enough she was on the ground, panting and clutching her stomach willing the pain to go away. “Tsk… Tsk… That was pathetic.” She heard her handler say, and the disappointment in his voice washed over her, making her tear up.

“Oh are you going to cry, baby girl? You want your mommy?” Rumlow mocked her.

She gritted her teeth, anger replacing the disappointment and determination making her get up. “I don’t have one.”

The bout of bravery failed spectacularly as one single jab to the face had her falling down, spitting out blood. “Why are we even bothering? We’re wasting time, she’s not worth it.” The HYDRA officer was riling her up, and she knew it… Toni slowly stood up on wobbly legs.

“It’ll be worth it, in the end.” The handler stated with a blank face. “Ready for round 3?”

Toni nodded and watched as the Asset lunged for her, his metal arm drawn back aiming for her stomach once again; Toni dodged it.

_‘You have to be alert, sweetie… Your eyes should take in everything around you… Something might help you win the fight. Use that big brain of yours, keep yourself several steps ahead of the game.’_ Toni cried out at the surge of electricity that burned behind her eyes at the same time as the Winter Soldier’s metal fist met her stomach. She went down a third time, struggling for breath, for her vision to clear out and the irritation behind her eyes to subside.

“Something wrong, инженер?” The handler asked her with a dangerous voice, knowing what happened… The small slip… A memory had manifested. A weakness…

“Can’t take it, princess?”

_‘“Whenever he was coming to a head with a bully, Steve would always get back up and say.”’_

“I can do this all day!” This was when all hell broke loose as Toni screamed at the excruciating pain in the back of her head as several flashes of red, white and blue appeared behind her eyes, memories, pain…

“Нью-йорк! Декабрь! Говард! Пиано! Итальянский! Алкоголь! Восемь! Капитан! (New York! December! Howard! Piano! Italian! Alcohol! Eight! Captain!)” Her mind came to a stop, silence was all she could hear as the red, white and blue in her vision washed away. Toni slowly began to take notice of her surroundings, a metal hand was holding her own hands which probably have been trying to tear away at the hair and the flesh in the back of her head, trying to reach the implant there.

“инженер. (Engineer.)” Toni lifted her head and came face to face with her handler.

He had a small sad smile on his face as his thumb came down to caress her cheek. “You’ve been doing real good these past few years… I’m really saddened to watch you wash it all away with this episode…” He sighed. “Guess, we’ll have to start all over. Wipe her…” Her breathing picked up and Toni looked frighteningly at the Asset who was watching her expressionlessly… The Chair… It would be her punishment, for attempting to access past memories.

 

 

“What did you remember, инженер?”

Her voice was steady and cold when she replied. “A woman was telling me how to fight as well as a story about a guy named Steve… I had flashes of red, white and blue.”

Her handler narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m very disappointed in you, Natasha… Guess I should have seen this coming. You know what’s coming next, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Good…” He watched as the scientists restrained her and put the mouth guard in place before beginning the process.

And all the Asset could hear was the muffled screaming of Toni as the words she said before she went under kept resonating in his mind, sparkling a bit of recognition in him…

 

 

The day she woke up, Toni realized she was being watched… Looking at the door, she found the Soldier standing there staring at her, waiting for something… It took a moment for Toni to remember what he needed. 

“James… Soldato.” She could see his posture relax a bit as he registered the fact she still remembered what happened. Toni knew it would take some time for him to warm up to her again, especially after the episode. “It was nasty back there, wasn’t it? And you gave me quite the beat down, I can still feel your metal arm resonating in every cell in my body.”

“You’re complimenting my arm because it’s you who made it.” If Toni didn’t know better, she’d say his voice had an amused tone.

“How can I not? It’s a work of art.”

 

 

 

 

“Our agents are having a lot of trouble breaking through HYDRA’s firewalls…” Director Fury informed the Avengers in the weekly team meeting.

“We can’t win a fight if technologically wise we’re behind.” Sam stated.

“We’ve been trying to find a peep hole for the last seven years… Nothing.” Coulson added. “It’s mainly why we’re still on a hard copies-only diet.”

“It’s also why we’re struggling to keep up with them… The information they have is instantaneous while ours comes hours too late.” Bruce explained.

“What do you suggest we do then?” Steve asked.

“Sir, there’s a situation!” Hill’s voice came through the room’s speakers.

“Does it require an Assemble call?” Steve inquired.

“I recommend Black Widow, Hawkeye and Captain America to be dispatched.” Hill commented.

“You heard her… Come on.”

“Captain… This is a recon mission. There’s no need for the shield or the color-themed suit.” Fury claimed. “We don’t want to draw attention.”

“Understood.”

 

 

What was supposed to be a recon mission, turned pretty quickly into a fiasco as Steve was separated from the team while HYDRA jammed the signal, making it impossible for them to contact each other. HYDRA knew they would come, it was a trap, an attempt to flush out the opposition… Steve was sure the rest of the Avengers and teams were dispatched to their location, so all they could do in the meantime is hold the line waiting for back up to arrive.

Theoretically it was sweet, but wasn’t exactly doable, not with the number of shots that were being fired at Steve, bullets he was sure would pierce right through his body armor. The only thing going for him is his speed, no one expected him to be able to run at this speed because no one suspected he was enhanced. Now it was out in the open, and it was only a matter of time before HYDRA put two and two together and realized Captain America was back…

Then he spotted Hawkeye surrounded by several HYDRA operatives who had their guns pointed at him, cursing to himself, Steve leapt over to where they were and engaged some of them in hand to hand combat while Hawkeye took care of the rest… The snipers who were trying to get a shot of Steve while he was running were having a hard time locking the target which was why the shots were ceased.

When the two of them took the agents out, they immediately began running away to where Black Widow was handling another HYDRA team, helping her out.

“This is getting out of hand.” Clint exclaimed as he knocked out an agent.

“Their firepower is like nothing I’ve ever seen.” Natasha added. “Their body armor is even stronger.”

“Aim for the head.” Steve ordered while performing some acrobatic move to take down three agents at the same time.

“Back up’s here.” Clint noted the Quinjet landing a couple of miles away.

“You mean extraction!” Natasha corrected. “We can’t take out all of these guys. They’re still coming…”

“Widow’s right! Come on, start running towards it, I’ll cover for you.” Steve commanded, watching as Clint and Natasha followed his orders while he was stalling the HYDRA forces.

When Steve deemed Black Widow and Hawkeye were close enough to their extraction, he began running after them. Suddenly, the land in front of him exploded, separating him from his team and sending him flying backwards.

“Cap!!” A second later, he’s getting back up on his feet and about to run back to them, except he heard the sound before feeling it.

Looking down at his body armor, he could see a hole where the bullet had come through. He fell on his knees, feeling a bout of dizziness overcome him; he knew then that the bullet wasn’t a normal one, it was covered with something strong enough to weaken him even possibly knock him out if he weren’t fueled by adrenaline… He could vaguely hear Natasha shouting at him. “Captain! Get up!!”

He tried to make his muscles cooperate, but it was a lost cause. His eyes locked with hers and he mouthed “Go.” Expecting her to be an expert at reading lips… And she was apparently, because she frowned, nodded before giving the order to the pilot while Steve watched the Quinjet fly up in the air.

Seconds or minutes later, someone was standing before him, clearly whatever they gave him dampened his senses, made him groggy, slow and sluggish.

The man caught his chin and made him look up, Steve was met with a vicious smirk and dark cold eyes. “This is where you should’ve been, Captain… All those years… Right there, kneeling for HYDRA.”

Anger surged up in Steve. “Go to hell.”

The man laughed. “Yeah, alright… But I’ll be taking you with me.” With that said, a strong punch caught his jaw and next thing he knows, darkness was claiming him.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it <3


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

 

Next time he woke up, Steve was in a cell, his arms restrained to the wall and an IV drip locked to his wrist.

“I see you’re awake.” It was seriously getting on his nerves, the way his awareness was shot to hell by that concoction. Steve lifted his head and came face to face with the last man he saw before losing consciousness. “He must have hit you pretty hard for your cheek to be this swollen. You must have done something terrible for him to be this vindictive… Perhaps, not catching him when he fell off the train?”

Steve frowned, not really getting the man’s point in bringing up Bucky at this point. “What do you want?”

“Now? Nothing… Everyone here is enjoying the view. After all these years, after Red Skull’s failure to apprehend YOU, here you are. It must have been disheartening to realize you died for nothing, huh Captain?” The smug grin on his face fueled Steve’s anger.

“I’ll enjoy bringing you down once and for all, this time.”

The man laughed. “I don’t think you understand, Captain. There is no ‘this time’, the sooner you realize that, the better you’ll feel… Please, don’t you lose hope, we’ll enjoy seeing you break slowly and painfully as you realize you can do nothing, and that the victory will always be ours.”

“Your empire will fall, sooner or later.”

“You think, you’ll be the one to destroy it?”

“Me and many others… You can’t control everyone.”

This time his laugh was even louder. “Funny you’d say that… You don’t know what we’re capable of Captain, stop assuming… You’ll end up disappointed in yourself. You will never fully grasp HYDRA’s reach and power…”

“I’ll fight you, until my dying breath. I can do this all day, all year.”

“Hold on to that hope, Captain. It’ll entertain us for the next few months until we decide you’re ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“I was hoping you’d ask that.” He grinned viciously at him before getting closer and whispering. “To hail HYDRA of course.”

“Never.” Steve snarled.

“You’re not the first to say that.” He grinned. “Definitely not the last… One thing that never changes is that at the end, they all end up saying them.” Walking towards the cell door, he continued. “You’d be surprised how many people we’ve managed to convince to join HYDRA’s cause…” Steve stayed silent, glaring daggers at the man. “Oh… And I’m Wolfgang von Strucker… You can call me Baron von Strucker. Enjoy your stay, Captain.”

 

 

While working, Toni caught movement, so she turned towards where the action was transpiring, and her eyes locked with clear blue eyes obviously drugged but which still seemed to bore into her soul… It took her a couple of minutes to snap out of whatever daze this very brief encounter put her in.

Taking a shaky breath, forgetting all the work that needed to be done and the gadgets she needed to finish, Toni rushed towards one of the computers, hacking into the base’s monitors to watch what was happening in the enhanced cell. She watched as Baron von Strucker talked to the new prisoner, shivering every time she heard the word ‘Captain’ and listened when the other man replied, committing his voice to her memory, until he said.

‘ _“I can do this all day.”_ ’ It set off a particularly intense jolt of electricity in the back of her head, making her fall down from her stool and onto the floor in an instant, whimpering at the pain behind her eyes. After this, the memories that came did not set off the implant, they only showed her the last time she went through the chair as Toni wrapped her arms around herself, trying desperately to get ahold of herself and focus her thoughts, preventing them from wondering and potentially cause another episode… It’s what she’s been taught to do…

It’s the Asset who finds her later, sitting on the floor, with her back to one of her worktables, legs pulled close to her chest, breathing in deep and letting the air out slowly.

“Okay?” He asked with his low voice.

“I will be.”

“Something happened?”

Toni looked at him for a moment before staring off at the distance. “They sent you after me?”

“No…”

“Why did you come down then, James?” She asked a bit taken aback by his presence.

“I was just… Checking on you.”

Toni smiled shyly at that. “Thank you…” The Soldier nodded at her before leaving…

It was like a weight was lifted off her shoulder.

 

Over the next few days, Toni watched as HYDRA tortured the Captain with various tools and drugs, drawing out his pain and enhancing his senses to make the pain even more pronounced all while he was chained to the wall and injected with the sedative… Every time he lost consciousness, a scientist would come in and draw blood from him.

 

 

“We have so many ways to break your will, Captain. Don’t you ever think we always take as much time with the others as we’re doing with you… We’re just enjoying seeing you suffer and realize you’re helpless here…” This time around it was Baron Zemo who was in charge of the show, while von Strucker was known for the excruciating physical pain he makes his prisoners go through, Zemo was most known for his ability to damage people on a mental and moral level. HYDRA’s tactics were apparently shifting, no one but the HYDRA operatives knew that… “I just have one question before we begin… Now you be careful, Captain, your answer is very important and influential… It’ll decide what happens next, you can imagine to what extents we can go to get what we want…” Zemo leaned closer to the restrained man. “Are you ready to pledge loyalty to HYDRA?”

The Captain gritted his teeth and spat out. “Over my dead body!”

“Technically…” Zemo then stepped away with a vicious smirk on his face, just as a holographic screen appeared in front of him showing a live feed from another cell. “It’ll be over hers…”

BANG!

Toni flinched as the body of a female teenager fell on the ground lifeless, a neat bullet hole visible between her eyes, she heard the Captain’s cry in the background as the sound of the gunshot replayed like a broken record in her mind. “No!! You sick son of a bitch… You worthless excuse of a human being! What did you do?! W-What did you d-…”

“Me? It’s all you, Captain.” This shut the Captain up instantaneously. “I warned you, I told you to be careful, it’s you who didn’t listen, who wasn’t reasonable… Her death?” Zemo looked over at the hologram. “That’s all on you.”

With Zemo leaving the room, the Captain was left completely alone in a completely dark cell with no semblance of light except the light coming from the hologram which remained like a ghost of the lifeless body and the wide dead eyes staring right at the man. The only sound filling his cell was that of his ragged breathing and occasionally a futile tug on his restraints accompanied with a groan and curse.

 

 

“See… I’m going to be generous. No one’s going to die today…” The Captain glared at him. “I know you’re still not over the shock of being responsible for the death of a fourteen year old.” The man squeezed his eyes shut as if in pain. “What with you being the Captain of all that is good and pure… So here’s a gesture of good will, from yours truly.” Zemo turned towards the cell’s door and continued. “Солдат!” The door opened and in came the Asset wearing his goggles and mask muzzle. “Captain, I’d like you to meet the Winter Soldier, HYDRA’s fist and top assassin since 1943.” Toni could see confusion settle over Steve’s expression. “This isn’t ringing any bells? Well fine that’s okay… Winter Soldier, show him your face.” Slowly, the Asset removed all of the accessories once there and held them in his metal hand while looking straight at the Captain, his face devoid of emotions and expressions.

“B-Bucky…?” The prisoner muttered with horror littering his voice just as Toni felt a current of electricity being set loose as a warning…

“Who the hell is Bucky?” The Asset questioned with a calculating cold voice.

“Your job here is done, soldier…” Zemo exclaimed and the Soldier made his way out.

“N-No! Bucky wait!” Another warning current of electricity surged, making Toni rub at her temples, trying to chase the pain away.

The baron stood there watching the Captain for a minute before speaking. “That’s another person you couldn’t save, Captain…” The man in question’s face was blank, unreadable, his eyes still focused on the door as if he could will the Winter Soldier back in. “Your tally is up to two, but I think there’s more, don’t you?” He shivered. “You know there’s more… It’s been eating at you ever since you came back. All those people, all the world… You could have prevented all that, but you didn’t… You could have stopped all of this from happening…” Zemo approached him and caught his jaw in an unforgiving hold, forcing him to meet his eyes. “You could have stopped it all, but you didn’t… You didn’t do enough and now the world’s paying for your mistakes…” The Captain swallowed as he stared at Zemo while his eyes were somewhere far away. “Are you starting to realize the magnitude of your mistakes? The harm you’ve done instead of avoided? Are you starting to realize how useless you are and how your supposed death meant absolutely nothing for those people? For all that you pretend that you’re on the side of life and justice, tell me Captain… Does it look like you succeeded, Captain?”

 

 

After that, for the next few days in which Zemo left the Captain alone, the man didn’t seem to have snapped out of the daze they put him in… He hadn’t talked nor did he attempt futilely to get out of his restraints, he just sat there like a statue, his head against the wall and his eyes staring at nothing. It was a pitiful sight to say the least, yet Toni couldn’t get herself to stop from watching him, observing him.

Hours after the Winter Soldier came out of the Captain’s cell, the alarm sounded all over the base, and Toni immediately rushed to where the action was transpiring to see some HYDRA operative injecting the Winter Soldier with the same sedative the Captain’s been getting… It was enough to knock him out as other agents including Rumlow lifted his boneless body and dragged him to where the Chair was. No one needed to know Toni once again hacked the cameras to watch what was happening to the Asset… Something that man had said ended up triggering the Winter Soldier. It must have been a violent trigger because the session in the Chair took hours before it finally ended with the Soldier’s blank face back with full force.

When she saw him next, he didn’t even seem to recognize who she was… “James…” were the only words Toni could say to ease up the darkness reflected in his eyes…

 

 

“I hope you’ve had enough time to recover, Captain.” The blond didn’t look up at Zemo. “You’re quiet today. Perhaps, you’ve used this time to reflect on your life choices, hm?” His tone was derisive. “So anyway, I’ve been looking into your file… And you can imagine my surprise when I found in a SHIELD file we acquired in our years inside the organization, information that should interest you. Apparently there’s this elderly woman…” The expected reaction came instantaneously as the Captain’s head shot up, and he stared with increasing alarm at Zemo. “Oh… I’ve got your attention now? Anyway, there’s this elderly woman, you might know her as Margaret Carter.” Toni felt the pinprick of the electricity at the back of her head as Toni thought her heart skip a beat at the mention of this name. “She’s currently in a retirement home and she’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer wasn’t she?” Similarly to that time when a holographic screen appeared next to Zemo, another popped next to him, this time showing Peggy sleeping in her bed peacefully, slowly the camera showed a gun pointed at her.

“No! No! Peggy!” Toni held onto her workbench with a tight grip as the implant let loose a surge of electricity that made her cry out.

“Are you going to beg for her life, Captain?”

“Please… Don’t… Don’t kill her please!”

“This is just not going to be enough.” Zemo was about to give the order when the Captain stopped him.

“Please! Please! Stop please… W-What… What can I do t-to save her life?”

This was exactly what Zemo wanted, Toni realized that as victory settled on his face. “You want to save her life, Captain?” The man frantically nodded. “Say them.”

The Captain’s movements came abruptly to a stop as he processed what’s being asked of him; he stared desperately at the hologram before closing his eyes. “Hail HYDRA…”

“Can you repeat that?” The derision clear in his voice while Toni watched the fight drain out of the Captain’s body…

“Hail HYDRA.” The utter defeat in his voice had her break out in goosebumps and made something inside of her ache.

“I didn’t hear you…”

“Hail HYDRA!!!” His voice increased in volume.

Zemo smiled smugly before approaching the Captain. “The next time you wake up, do me a favor and remember exactly what happened here. Hm?” His fingers settled on the IV drip. “Now… If only you hadn’t hesitated, maybe then you’d have spared this old lady’s life.”

“NO!” The man watched in horror as the HYDRA operation in Peggy’s room fired a single shot to Peggy’s heart and stared in utter shock as the red spread all over her gown. His cheeks were wet with tears he didn’t know he was shedding by the time the concentrated sedative knocked him completely out.

Toni didn’t know why her own cheeks were wet, but she hurried to wipe the evidence of her moment of weakness, then went to continue working…

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it!


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

When he woke up next, he wasn’t alone. “It never is easy the first time. I should know… The first time I said them I was practically catatonic for the next 48 hours, at least I remember that much. It gets easier with time, and then it begins to feel right. I don’t remember much of my life before HYDRA, but I do know I once resisted them. They made me see the error of my way… The same way they made you see yours.”

Curiosity got the best of him when he identified her as the woman he saw in the workshop while he was still pretty much out of it with the drugs. “Who are you?” Steve asked in a dull voice, the fight completely drained out of him.

“You’re awake!” She took several steps away.

“You usually talk to unconscious people?”

“I’m not supposed to talk to you…” Toni’s eyes looked hastily at the camera.

“So why are you?”

She stared at him for a moment. “I have a track record of not being good at following orders.”

He frowned at her. “This seems counterproductive…”

Toni scowled at him. “It’s none of your business.”

She made to leave but was stopped when she heard him say. “Can I at least get a name?”

She looked at him with the same look as before… “Toni.”

“It’s a nice name.” He conceded.

“Thank you…” She smiled tentatively at him before making her way out. 

 

 

“Who is she?” Steve finally says to Strucker who has been standing with his back to Steve ever since they ended their torture session, watching Toni as she climbed up in the ring, preparing to go up against Bucky.

“Gorgeous, isn’t she?” Strucker remarked. “It’s perfectly understandable why you’d feel compelled to ask. The young woman right here is the child of HYDRA… She’s had a major role in helping HYDRA take over the world.” He smirked at him. “See that sedative we’ve been giving you? She was the one behind it… You want to win her over, Captain, you’ll need to do better than that. She has high standards.”

Steve watched as the fight started, and Toni, very human Toni, went against serum enhanced Bucky with the added feature of having a metal arm. Somehow, the young woman was very capable of standing her ground. Dodging Bucky’s jabs and even hitting him a couple of times, Toni only lost her obvious momentum when the man who was observing them declared the two fighters should increase the fight’s intensity, and increase they did. Bucky started raining down punches at an exceptional speed until one of his punches caught her stomach and made her fall down onto the mat on all fours, blood dripping down her mouth.

“Natasha is one of HYDRA’s most influential members…” Steve frowned at the name Strucker mentioned, but did not comment. “She’s joined our ranks at the age of eight. She might as well be the princess of this organization with the way everyone respects her, fears her, admires her and even talks reverently about her. She just came with a lot of perks… Being unstable is just one of many.”

He filed this information for later; Steve’s fists clenched in frustration when Toni got back up and assumed a defensive stance, wiping the blood running down at the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. Captain America noted the frown between the Winter Soldier’s eyebrows, and Steve Rogers would know Bucky Barnes’ tells a mile away: Toni was the recipient of the same pinched look Bucky always got whenever he saw Steve getting bullied. It was enough to ignite a flare of hope in Steve while he added to his observations the fact that the Winter Soldier and Toni know each other, and that Toni means something to him.

Meanwhile, Toni looked at Bucky with determined eyes, and Steve saw her give the smallest of nods at him before his friend closed off once again and lunged. The woman showed her bloodied teeth in a smug grin before dodging a blow, using its momentum to perform an acrobatic move that had her throwing Bucky down on the mat while she herself landed on her feet, fists raised up in challenge. If Black Widow had watched this, she would have been very proud.

 

 

“You came back.” Steve said as he watched Toni come and sit down in front of him.

“The temptation was too strong to ignore.” Toni sent a cursory look at the cameras there.

The small motion didn’t sit well with Steve. “You’ve been found out?”

“No…” She shook her head with a small smile. “They can’t unless I want them to.”

Steve frowned at her. “You were watching, weren’t you?” He asked. “This was how you knew what I said…” Toni nodded slightly. “Is this supposed to be a good cop bad cop routine?”

“What do you mean?”

“Zemo’s the bad cop while you’re the good cop… Is this a part of HYDRA’s grand plan?”

Toni studied him for a moment before replying. “No one knows I’m here… This is not part of a scheme against you.”

“Well, it does seem like it.” Steve’s voice had a suspicious note. “You’re behind that sedative they’re using on me… You’re influential in HYDRA… I’m having a hard time believing they would not let you get a turn with me…”

Toni glared at him. “How do you know?”

“Strucker told me.”

Now this made Toni smirk. “And why would he?” She tilted her head in front of him. “Were you asking about me?”

“Temptation was too strong to ignore.” Steve’s answer ended up making Toni laugh…

“You do have a sense of humor, I’m glad.” She smiled at him and something about that smile made Steve’s heart ache.

“If you’re not here as a part of a grand scheme… Why are you not supposed to talk to me?”

“My handler thinks it best for me to keep my distance.”

“And what do you think?”

Toni looked up, her eyes guarded. “I trust my handler to have my best interest at heart.”

Steve made sure not to show his obvious discomfort over Toni’s words. “I didn’t mean to imply otherwise… I just wanted to see what your thoughts on the matter are?”

She shrugged, staring at him the challenge clear in her chocolate brown eyes. “I’m here, aren’t I?” The answer made Steve grin for the first time since he got here.

“Why do you think they don’t want you to see me? I’m not exactly dangerous when I’m like this.” Steve made a vague gesture to indicate his current situation.

Toni looked at him like he’s a lunatic. “I’m the head engineer here… Joined the organization at the age of eight and have been climbing up the ranks since then…” Toni looked at the restraints holding Steve. “This whole cell was designed and executed by me… You can’t get out of your restraints even if you do recover your whole strength because I made them… The sedative Baron Zemo was talking about, I, along with chemists and biologists, worked on it and developed it to neutralize enhanced people like you when the need arises… I’m the one behind all the weapons and body armors every field agent wears on every mission… I’m the one who made it possible for HYDRA to control the cybernetic world… I’ve managed to take down the Winter Soldier today.” Toni pointed at her split lip, her eyes darker than ever and her voice authoritative, strong and condescending; it only served to remind Steve that Toni was not a prisoner like him. No, far from it, Toni has been there since she was still a kid, and she’s one of the major players in HYDRA… She definitely did not deserve any sympathy from Steve. “And you seriously think that HYDRA leaders are afraid you could hurt me?”

The challenge was clear, and it made Steve lock his jaw and answer with a steady voice. “No. Clearly not…” However, his tone quickly became challenging. “It still doesn’t answer my question.”

“No it doesn’t.” Toni grinned at that and then took a deep breath. “They think you can trigger me.”

Steve was utterly confused at the wording and all thoughts of keeping his guard up vanished as he was left reeling at what Toni just revealed. “Then why are you still here?”

She looked at him strangely before standing up. “Because you need me… More than you know.”

“Is that so? And what you’re going to help me? I’m supposed to believe that?”

Toni frowned at him. “Is that so hard to believe? I know how things might start to feel along the way. HYDRA has the thread that’s keeping you together… They’re stretching it too thin until it breaks and shatters you with it… I just… I just hope I can ease you into the breaking.”

“And if I don’t want you to?”

“I’ll stop.” Steve looked at her, confusion written on his face.

“Just like that?”

Toni nodded. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead, Toni.”

“What can I call you?”

“Everyone here’s been calling me Captain.”

“I know that… The word just… It makes me uneasy.”

“You really don’t know who I am?”

“I don’t… Am I supposed to?”

“HYDRA hated my guts; I’m surprised they haven’t transmitted their hatred onto you.”

“It might trigger me.”

“Yet you still want to know.”

“I have to call you something, don’t I?”

“I… My name’s Steve.” Toni felt her implant come online in a warning.

She shook her head and focused on him. “I-It’s been nice to meet you, Steve.”

“Likewise, Toni.” The brunette made her way out as Steve sat there watching her retreating back.

 

 

After their last conversation, Toni’s visits became a regular occurrence in the next few months in which he was HYDRA’s prisoner. True to her words, she’d always come in after the breaking sessions with Strucker or Zemo to somehow help him out of the mindset those sessions would throw him into; The two ‘barons’ never once demanded him to say ‘Hail HYDRA’, but they’d always mention the time when he did. Steve would come out of the headspace, and the first thing he ended up hearing was Toni’s voice, talking to him about her projects, about the people she’s met and the life she led inside HYDRA, about her days in MIT where the organization sent her to get all her PhDs, about how she’s been training individually in her own workshop, so that she could kick the Asset’s ass when the next training session comes and sometimes even, about the time she spends with the Winter Soldier. Listening to her voice and watching her move, Steve regained awareness much faster than when he was left alone to his own devices.

At first, Toni was physically distant, refusing to cross an invisible line separating them; the only time she touched him was that first time when she was drawing blood, since then she always kept a 1 meter distance between them. The situation remained the same until that one day, after a particularly intense session with Zemo, Toni came in the middle of the night and woke Steve up from a vicious nightmare featuring the fourteen year old girl, Bucky and Peggy. He ended up breaking down in tears right in front of her; it was the first time in which Toni broke her own rule and immediately crossed the distance between them and embraced him as if trying to protect him from the world.

Ever since that day, something clearly changed between them: Toni would stare at him with kind and fond eyes as well as leave fleeting touches on Steve’s cheeks and arms, sometimes her fingers would end up brushing his, but she’d immediately retract her hand with a faint blush visible on her cheeks. It didn’t take Steve a long time to realize that Toni was becoming attached to him. The revelation only came when he also discovered he wasn’t faring any better: The days where Toni doesn’t show, Steve, spends them worrying about her and being overall anxious and on edge.

Steve’s consciousness knew he was falling steadily for her, just like it knew, Toni wouldn’t betray HYDRA, so she definitely won’t help him escape, if anything she was waiting for when HYDRA will break him to their will, yet it didn’t stop him from falling hard.

One thing was for sure, Toni didn’t want him to do the talking… “Please don’t take this the wrong way, Steve… But I don’t want to be triggered, it’s… um… I’d like to avoid it, and for that to happen, I don’t want you to tell me any stories from your life before HYDRA, which is why I’m usually the one doing the talking and the one doing the story telling.”

Steve could only nod then, no questions asked and no words spoken, basking in Toni’s presence and the way she was sitting right next to him, their legs touching and their breathing synching.

 

 

“Steve…” Toni said tentatively as she sat there with Steve, lying with her back leaning on his side. Steve was playing with her hair, the only thing his restraints allowed him to reach.

“Yeah, Toni…” They had been lying there in the companionable silence before Toni broke the silence.

She tilted her head to the side to look at him with her big brown eyes. “It’s a simple Yes or No question… Promise me you’re going to answer it.” Steve nodded. “Is your name S-Steve Ro-Rogers?” Toni stuttered while cringing as if in pain.

He didn’t know what brought this on, but he did promise. “Yes.”

Toni let out a heavy breath, her eyes closing as she got on her knees, turned to face Steve and rested her forehead against his. To say he was confused would be a huge understatement, but Steve couldn’t help the way his mind took Toni in with a laser focus, his eyes searching her closed ones and his breath mingling with hers, now that they were as close as they were.

“Toni…”

The woman in question sucked in a deep breath as her hand which had been resting on his chest, traveled up to his cheek. “Don’t give up.” She said.

It made Steve’s eyes widen comically at the implication. “W-What?”

“Don’t let HYDRA win, Captain America.” Steve’s world drew to a halt.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the two of them meet!!  
> Toni now remembers who Steve is and what he stands for, so what do you think might happen in the next chapter?


	5. Chapter 5

 

 

_“Steve…” Toni said tentatively as she sat there with Steve, lying with her back leaning on his side. Steve was playing with her hair, the only thing his restraints allowed him to reach._

_“Yeah, Toni…” They had been lying there in the companionable silence before Toni broke the silence._

_She tilted her head to the side to look at him with her big brown eyes. “It’s a simple Yes or No question… Promise me you’re going to answer it.” Steve nodded. “Is your name S-Steve Ro-Rogers?” Toni stuttered while cringing as if in pain._

_He didn’t know what brought this on, but he did promise. “Yes.”_

_Toni let out a heavy breath, her eyes closing as she got on her knees, turned to face Steve and rested her forehead against his. To say he was confused would be a huge understatement, but Steve couldn’t help the way his mind took Toni in with a laser focus, his eyes searching her closed ones and his breath mingling with hers, now that they were as close as they were._

_“Toni…”_

_The woman in question sucked in a deep breath as her hand which had been resting on his chest, traveled up to his cheek. “Don’t give up.” She said._

_It made Steve’s eyes widen comically at the implication. “W-What?”_

_“Don’t let HYDRA win, Captain America.” Steve’s world drew to a halt._

 

_~~_

 

When she opened her eyes, Steve could see them tearing up and her teeth clenching, a small cry leaving her mouth as her body shuddered against his. Not giving him time to ask the questions that were no doubt waiting to be spoken, Toni closed the distance between them and sealed her lips against his almost desperately; a kiss Steve happily responded to with as much dedication until he tasted salt and metal on his tongue. So he broke away from the kiss, fully intending on asking Toni what was that when he noticed the tear tracks on her cheeks as well as the blood running down her nose and ears.

As if struck, Steve watched in shock as Toni’s hand found his, slipped something in it while whispering in a breathy and low voice. “I trust you…”

Then Steve watched as the last of Toni’s strength that has been keeping her upright vanished, and she collapsed on the floor, letting out a heart wrenching scream that would haunt Steve forever, her hands coming up to the back of her head. _Toni!!_ His mind was yelling, yet his vocal chords refused to cooperate.

Suddenly, the door burst open and Toni’s handler Stane as well as other HYDRA agents came in. “Нью-йорк! Декабрь! Говард! Пиано! Итальянский! Алкоголь! Восемь! Капитан! (New York! December! Howard! Piano! Italian! Alcohol! Eight! Captain!)” And just like magic, the room completely stilled, quickly filling with a dreadful silence except for Toni’s ragged breathing. “Инженер!”

Steve’s heart completely broke when Toni looked up from where she lay, her bloodshot eyes locking with her handler's, her stare far calmer than seconds ago.

“You should have listened and followed my orders… You forced my hand, Natasha.” Toni shuddered when her handler continued. “Take her.”

Her very expressive eyes flitted over to where Steve sat. When Steve’s gaze met hers, something in them lit up a fire inside of him: Toni’s chocolate brown eyes were defiant, determined and most importantly conniving; instantly, Steve knew she planned this, and the thing she just gave him fell right into her plan.

Before he could do something about it, the HYDRA operatives lifted Toni off of the floor and exited the room. Her handler, Obie as Toni used to call him, sent a dirty look at Steve. “You’re gonna pay for that.”

The Captain did his best to pull himself together and answer back with as much disdain. “Counting on it.”

As soon as Steve became alone, a holographic screen appeared in front of him with Toni’s face on it. A video message from her began playing…

“Steve… Don’t freak out. I’m getting you out of here. HYDRA’s soon going to give you a sedative injection, or what they think is the sedative injection; I need you to pretend you’re weak, not strong enough. This injection will only slow down your healing factor enough for it not to appear suspicious when (because let’s face it it’ll certainly happen soon) they come to make you suffer for hurting the ‘Golden Goose’. If you trust me Steve, don’t use the key just yet. It’s still not the right time for it, so don’t be reckless, you don’t want to lose your advantage, and you definitely don’t want to lose this golden ticket out of HYDRA’s base. Therefore, no matter what you see, no matter what you hear, don’t let HYDRA win, Cap.” She took a deep breath. “JARVIS will tell you when the time comes… By the way, he’s my AI. He’s still new, a couple of days old, but he’s very good. Obviously because I made him… Anyway, if they ask you how many times I came down to talk to you, tell them it was just this once… The only evidence they’ll find of my tampering with their security cameras will show them I did it just this one time.” There was a pause before Toni looked at him with determined eyes. “I trust you, Steve…”

 

And just like Toni said, soon a guy entered and gave him the injection. As the minutes passed, Steve felt himself slowly regain his strength as his system flushed out yesterday’s injection…

Then Von Strucker came in. “You really have no idea what you’ve done, Captain.” With that, the torture session began.

 

Strucker finally stepped back when he was satisfied by Steve’s bloodied state. “I just have one question… Was that the first time Natasha came down here?” Steve nodded tiredly as part of his weak pretense, and Strucker left him alone.

A couple of minutes later, Zemo entered his room. “So the day you finally meet your slight crush you make her bleed?” Zemo was grinning at him. “It won’t win you any points in her book… In fact, the next time she sees you, I can assure you she’ll punch you…After all, it’s because of you she’ll be suffering under the ‘Chair’.”

As if on cue, a holographic screen appeared next to him showing Toni, clean and blood stains free Toni, restrained to a chair surrounded by computer monitors; her head was surrounded by the chair’s extensions and a mouth guard was placed in her mouth.

And then the muffled screams started.

“Stop it!!” Steve yelled, tensing immediately. “Zemo stop it! What are you doing? You’ll damage her! She’s… She’s the brains here! Why are y-”

“Insubordination… That’s its punishment, Captain. You think this is the first time she goes through the Chair? She’s been in here since she was eight years old, Captain.” Steve felt like he was going to throw up as he watched Toni getting tortured. “I told you she was unstable, the Chair’s there to set her back on the right track… She knew what her penance would be when she came in here, yet she still did.” Steve clenched his fists and gritted his teeth when he remembered the key still in his hold.

It felt like he’d been watching and drowning in her screams for years by the time another holographic screen appeared behind Zemo’s head. “Blackout in 5 seconds.” Steve read and immediately felt the adrenaline and anticipation surging with vindictive rigor.

As soon as the holographic screen showed ‘0’, the cell was completely dark, even the holograms were out. Steve worked furiously on his restraints, freeing himself as quietly as possible; one of the serum’s perks is Steve’s enhanced night vision which he’s taken full advantage of now. The second he was free, he pounced at Zemo and knocked him out with a very hard punch. He got out of his cell just as the lights came back on, and a holographic screen appeared in front of him, saying ‘follow me’.

“We need to get Toni.” He exclaimed a little self-consciously as he spoke to a holographic display. He began running after it, watching as every door they passed closed behind him, getting rid of the HYDRA agents from following him.

‘It’s been taken care of.’ The screen showed and soon enough, Steve was turning a corner only to come face to face with the Winter Soldier holding Toni.

Steve’s hackles raised in anticipation of a fight only to be proven wrong as the man in front of him said. “Come on, punk. We need to get the hell out.”

The relief that washed over Steve at realizing it was Bucky talking only increased ten folds when Toni looked at him and smiled. “Am I awesome or what? Don’t answer that, I wouldn’t hear you because of the ear plugs.” She gestured at her ears, and Steve could make out the mentioned device in Toni’s ears and in Bucky’s as well. Toni smirked before extracting herself from Bucky’s hold. “Let’s get out, shall we?”

Next thing they know, they were running out of the base and onto the tarmac straight towards a Quinjet. Even though, serum enhanced Steve still ran at Toni’s pace while Bucky saw it fit to run in the front given that he was the chosen pilot.

They were getting steadily closer to the aircraft when…

“Toni!!”

“J-James.” The holographic screen appeared once again in front of Bucky telling him to turn around.

So he did, and he saw in slow motion as Toni fell down onto her knees, staring with horror at her trembling hands, collecting drops of blood falling down from her nose and ears. Toni screamed, collapsing onto the ground, her hands reaching for the back of her head.

“Блядь (Fuck)! Steve hold her hands.” Bucky barked out before rushing towards her, removing the ear plugs. “Нью-йорк! Декабрь! Говард! Пиано! Итальянский! Алкоголь! Восемь! Капитан!” He yelled out the trigger words with the hope that it would make Toni’s pain stop; except, Toni was still screaming, trying to fight off Steve’s hands holding her down.

Bucky was instantly overcome with dread and fear as he realized what was happening; HYDRA must have built in a failsafe.

“Steve! You need to get her… She needs medical attention now!”

The man in question immediately lifted Toni onto his arms, and the two super soldiers boarded the Quinjet and got her up in the air. Bucky activated the auto-pilot and went to join Steve who was slowly and carefully laying Toni down on the gurney, making quick work to restrain her hands to it. The screams never stopped.

“You have to reach out to your organization! We need help… I-I don’t know what to do.”

Steve nodded and went to contact SHIELD. “SHIELD Control, this is Captain Steve Rogers, requesting to speak with Colonel Nick Fury and Doctor Jemma Simmons, this is a Priority One matter, in need of emergency medical assistance. And send the coordinates to the aircraft.”

“Patching you through to a direct line with Director Fury and Doctor Simmons.”

“Captain! You mad-…”

“Director, I have the head engineer and HYDRA’s top assassin with me on boar-…”

“Are you insan-…”

“Not the time to insult me! I need Doctor Simmons now!”

“I’m listening Captain.” Jemma answered.

“Bucky!” Steve urged Bucky to the com line given that he is the one with the elaborate details.

The Captain immediately rushed back to Toni’s side, finding her hand and squeezing it, trying to whisper soothing words amidst the screaming, Bucky’s voice in the background.

A male voice came through the speakers; Steve immediately recognized it to be the voice of Leo Fitz. “You need to EMP it! Do you have any idea how it works… The schematics, the voltage anything… If it continues any longer, she will suffer extensive brain damage.”

Steve tuned out the following conversation, full of specialized electrical engineering jargon and only focused back on something other than Toni when Bucky approached them, throwing a pair of thick rubber gloves at Steve as he made quick work with his metal arm, opening a compartment and cutting one of the electrical wires there.

“Steve you need to bring the two ends of that electric wire close to each other without touching, exactly where I tell you too… Make sure they aren’t touching Toni’s skin!”

Captain America surfaced as soon as the task was given; he put on the gloves and waited for Bucky to release one of Toni’s hands in order to roll her onto her side before approaching his metal arm to the back of her head in the junction between Toni’s neck and head. “Do it!” Bucky yelled out, so Steve grabbed the two wires and brought them closer.

An electrical pulse was discharged exactly where Bucky said, making Toni jolt forward once before settling back, the screaming dying down as the tears fell silently and the blood continued running down her face as an ugly reminder of what she’s been through.

“Did it work?” Fitz’s voice snapped them out of their daze.

“Yes! Yes.” Bucky answered frantically. “What should I do?”

“Keep a close eye on her, if there’s an oxygen mask hook her up to it.” Jemma then took the lead. “She might go through seizures following such an intensive electric shock, you need to keep your calm and deal with it like professionals… What’s your ETA?”

“Ten minutes.” Steve answered as he darted a quick glance at the flight monitor.

“Good! You keep your cool until then, do you understand?”

“Loud and clear.” Steve replied automatically as he helped Toni back to a lying position, securing her hands while Bucky put the oxygen mask over her mouth.

Luckily, the two super soldiers didn’t have to deal with a seizure episode as the Quinjet landed in SHIELD’s base, and a flood of doctors to enter it and wheel Toni’s stretcher away. Steve and Bucky stood there in various states of shock watching as Toni was driven away from them.

“Cap.” Steve startled when he heard Natasha’s voice call him.

“Nat.” He looked at her.

“You brought guests…”

“It’s only decent to invite the same people who hosted me for…”

“A month…” Natasha flashed a lopsided grin at him. “Good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be back.”

Black Widow threw a suspicious glance at Bucky. “Is he a security risk?”

Steve looked at Bucky whose face was completely blank and didn’t reveal any emotions. “No…”

“Then he won’t mind if we locked him up until we have enough proof to trust him.” Fury joined Natasha’s side with a raised eyebrow.

The soldier could feel Bucky tense next to him. “It really isn’t necessary, I can guarant-…”

“We’re taking you to a cell, too, Rogers.” This time, it was Steve’s turn to tense up.

“W-What?”

“We know who the Winter Soldier is… James Buchanan Barnes. It really isn’t difficult to draw the conclusion. Forgive me if I’m not the poster boy for trust and loyalty when I know HYDRA had the power to turn Barnes into their own puppet.”

“With all due res-…”

“Captain… You brought HYDRA’s top assassin as well as the head engineer. I can think of a thousand scenarios where things could go wrong and your newly acquired friends end up bringing down the base, getting rid of the only opposition HYDRA’s been facing.”

“So… I get out of one cell only to end up in another one?” Steve bit out as he watched SHIELD agents come secure Barnes’ hands with handcuffs strong enough to withhold the Hulk.

Natasha looked at him sympathetically. “If it’s any comfort, you’ll be out of it before nighttime.”

“What about Toni?”

Fury’s eyes narrowed at that. “She’s in the hands of our best guys… They’ll do everything they can.”

“Updates… Can you keep telling us how she’s doing… Please?” Bucky’s voice broke at the end as he looked at Natasha; it was the first time he showed any weakness.

“Да. (Yes.)” Natasha nodded at him.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are!   
> Steve's finally free from HYDRA along with Toni and Bucky. However, things are still far from okay.


	6. Chapter 6

 

“What happened back there, Steve?” Barton had been tasked with interrogating him, and Steve was pretty sure, Natasha’s with Bucky.

“Torture… Mental and physical…”

“Mental how?”

“T-They…” Steve cleared his throat, trying to prevent it from constricting when he began saying the next bit. “Wanted me to say ‘Hail HYDRA’ for them… They wanted to see me break… When physical torture didn’t work, they thought it best to take advantage of my weakness.”

“And what is that?”

“Caring.”

Hawkeye’s eyebrows knitted. “Can you elaborate?”

“T-They killed… A young girl in front of me… when I refused to say them the first time! T-They didn’t tell me what w-was at stake… They just did it, knowing exactly what I would say.”

“Did you break then?”

“No…”

“What other thing did they do?”

“They revealed the Winter Soldier was in fact Bucky.”

“James Buchanan Barnes, your best friend from the 40s.”

“Yes. I didn’t say it… I didn’t say it until they threatened Peggy…” His voice broke. “I said it, b-but Zemo said I hesitated, and so they executed her… They killed her in front of me.”

Clint’s hand landed on his shoulder. “I’m very sorry for your loss, Steve.”

“Thank you…”

The archer nodded at him. “Do you mind if we continue?”

“No, I’m fine. Go ahead.”

“So you said ‘Hail HYDRA’?” Steve nodded with a small wince. “Did it feel right?”

“NO! No! Don’t you dare ask me that question! I thought I would throw up if they ever ended up asking me to say it again… The idea of it… The memory associated with it…” The Captain couldn’t suppress a shiver.

“They didn’t attempt to get you to say them again?”

“No… HYDRA relied on Zemo and von Strucker to do the damage… Zemo was charged with the mental damage while Strucker had the other one… After they killed her, Strucker came back.”

“Okay. And where did they contain you? How were they able to subdue you? What was that thing they used to weaken you?”

“I was in a cell… Chained to the wall… The restraints and the sedative are all Toni’s work, mainly…” Steve frowned. “They took my blood daily… I don’t know what for. Toni or Bucky might know something about this.”

“Here comes the next part of the interrogation. How did you manage to meet the head engineer? If she’s someone so important, why did they risk her?”

“I didn’t go to her, she came to me willingly and behind her handler’s back.”

“You mean to tell me the head engineer disobeyed a direct order and came to a prisoner who she had no business with?” Steve nodded. “Why?!”

Steve knew he sounded insane, but looking back on it, it really was. “I know how it sounds, Clint. Trust me, at first I thought it was some sort of play… That Toni was there as part of the plan to break me… And she was… She told me that I need her, that she can help, that she will help ease me into the breaking because she knows how it feels.”

“So she was broken, too?”

“Yes, she was there since she was eight years old. They did something to her, I’m not sure what. She told me to call her Toni even when everyone addressed her as Natasha. She said… She said that I’m a trigger. That her handler was afraid of what she can do which is why they forbade her from seeing me because I could trigger her.”

“Did she tell you why she ended up coming?”

“Said the temptation was too strong to resist.”

“Did you meet prior to that conversation?”

“No… I just… When HYDRA first caught me they dragged me through the compound and down to the cell, I saw her in her workshop and our eyes locked on each other.”

“What happened after that?”

“We’d sit… She’d come after each sessions with Strucker and Zemo, talk about anything and leave. At first, she didn’t want us to touch, but it changed when she woke me up from a nightmare and helped me through it… We, somehow, grew closer, touches were exchanged, and the distance was crossed. We sought each other. She told me she didn’t want me to tell anything about myself because she didn’t want to be triggered… Yet, she triggered herself while with me, gave me the key out of my restraints, and told me to wait for a signal… She had her AI, JARVIS, prepare everything.”

“The Compound self-destructed, you think this was her work?”

“Of course! Her main workshop was there, all the weapons, all the inventions she had ever created were there, they wouldn’t destroy it… But she would.”

“What did she tell you? How did you know you could trust she was there to help you get out?”

“She said not to give up, not to let HYDRA win. She asked if my family name is Rogers. She only knew me as Steve or Captain prior to that; she didn’t know who I was, neither did she know the symbol I constituted. I don’t know, Clint… I was not made aware of the plan. All I know is the injection they gave me slowed down my healing factor but restored my strength like Toni said would happen and Bucky was there helping Toni and me get out… Bucky might have more detailed answers than me concerning what Toni was thinking.”

“Steve… This is the final question.” Clint stressed out. “Did you fall in love with your captor?”

Steve could feel his heart skip a beat. “W-What?”

“Did you fall in love with Toni?”

“No, yeah… I don’t know, Clint… I don’t know. I felt something… When she kissed me… I felt something. And I’m sure it was not because I felt lonely.”

“She kissed you?” Clint was clearly amused now.

The Captain blushed. “Yes.”

“Only you would fall in love and get kissed in the midst of the enemy’s territory.” Steve shrugged. “I think you’ll be good to go in no time Ste-…”

Clint was suddenly interrupted as Steve could pick up a feminine voice through his com line. “W-What is there?”

“Steve… Did you know Toni’s full name?”

“No… I didn’t ask, I thought it might be a trigger. All I know is her name and middle name: Natasha Antonia.”

Clint gasped. “Steve… You have no idea what you did.”

“What did I do?!” Steve was getting confused.

The archer had a huge grin on his face. “You brought back Howard Stark’s daughter… You saved Howard Stark’s daughter after 17 years of being captured by HYDRA while the whole world presumed her dead. You saved Natasha Antonia Stark.”

The little girl, he’s been mourning ever since he read the Stark family’s file… The little girl he swore he’ll avenge, was the one he escaped with. “I didn’t… S-She saved herself, and she saved me.”

“If everything you’ve said is true, then it means you brought her back, you made her snap out of whatever the hell HYDRA did to her, which means you saved her.”

“She’s Toni Stark…”

“Yes she is…”

“How did you…”

“The Winter Soldier, Bucky, told Natasha… He was the one to execute the mission and take her.”

“Oh my God…”

“I know this is messed up.”

“It is… Can I see him?”

“Of course, follow me.”

“Clint… How is she?”

“In surgery, for the time being… Jemma said it’s a very delicate process, it might take a long time… She’ll keep us updated, Dr. Helen Cho is working with her as we speak… These are two of our top doctors trying to save her. I think she’ll pull through, she’s a stubborn one that’s for sure.”

“You have no idea, she would give me a run for my money.”

Clint chuckled. “That she would. Good job, Captain.”

Steve nodded before entering the room where they were holding Bucky prisoner.

“Buck.” Bucky lifted his head, and the second his eyes met his, the assassin was out of his chair and walking towards Steve.

“How is she?! Is she okay? What did they do to her?” He asked frantically

“Calm down, Buck… She’s in surgery now, two of our elite doctors are in there with her. They’ll do everything they can to save her, don’t worry.”

The Winter Soldier frowned. “I thought that if I revealed who she was, then they would help her for sure.”

“They will, regardless of who she is, but now especially for who she represents.” Steve said with conviction.

It appeared to appease his best friend who took a step back. “Are you here to question me?”

“Yes… No… I’m here off the record mainly because this is personal. What did they do to her? Why did this happen?”

“They knew when they brought her that, with the role they wanted her to play inside the organization, they could not afford to have her turn against them. The brainwashing was not a very stable way to win her for eternity, so they had to install some device that would work as a ‘mini chair’ inside her every time a memory peeks its head.”

“You mean to tell me… They made her go through a surgery in which they implanted a device that violates her mind on the back of her head?”

“Yes. If the memories flood her mind, so will the electricity until Stane comes in and says the trigger words which you already heard.”

“But when you said them, it didn’t stop.”

“Apparently, HYDRA was too paranoid. They made a contingency plan for when they couldn’t control her anymore… If Toni were to escape or work against them, they would be completely destroyed because she knows everything, their security protocols, their weapons, their biological experiments and their aircraft. She was the mind behind everything so you can imagine what would happen to the organization if such a scenario happened, which is why they built in a failsafe inside the device, when activated the device would continue electrifying her until it damages her brain and kills her.”

Steve stared in horror. “When did they do the surgery?”

Bucky sighed. “When she was still eight years old.”

“Son of a bitch…” Steve cursed as his fists clenched painfully.

“You triggered her long before she started visiting you, you know.”

“What? How?”

“When she saw you… She grew up hearing about you, it’s how she heard about me…” Bucky cringed. “About who I used to be. She had this Bucky bear with her when I kidnapped her… You were one of her trigger words. Капитан! It means Captain.”

“This is why she didn’t like calling me Captain.”

“Yes…” Bucky nodded.

After a small silence settled in, Steve asked. “How are you feeling, Buck?”

The smile he got this time was full of self-deprecation. “Used.”

Steve winced. “Nothing you did was your fault.”

“But I still did it.”

“You had no choice… HYDRA they brainwashed you; they broke you…”

“I know that, Stevie. But you triggered me, you made me fight back… Were all the deaths of my victims not incentive enough for me to fight back?”

“Toni told me what your compliance process was, what HYDRA usually did every time you got triggered which was often enough. The fight was sucked out of you categorically, every single time they froze you cryogenically, and every single time they wiped you.” Steve stated. “So don’t you ever say you didn’t fight back!”

Bucky looked up at him. “Well… What good did it do? Toni’s an orphan and has been HYDRA’s puppet for nearly two decades because of me. The number of children I killed and orphaned is inconceivable. The number of people I killed is even worse.”

“That’s HYDRA… It’s always been HYDRA. You were the weapon, but it was them who fired… SHIELD will recognize that; the world community will realize that, and Toni understands that more than anyone. You two were victims of HYDRA… It’s what you choose to do after this, that will determine whether you deserve the second chance or not. Don’t refuse it out of some misguided belief that you’re the last person who deserves redemption, Bucky; you and I both know you’re not a quitter nor will you ever be.” Steve nodded at him.

Bucky’s eyes bore into his before taking a deep breath. “If we’re off the record then there is something Toni would’ve wanted you to know. JARVIS is inside SHIELD’s mainframe… He’s currently dormant. He has extensive information on HYDRA. Activate him.”

“How?”

“Your serial number.”

“What?”

“I told you she began remembering you long before the visits… It just happened to be among the things seared into her brain…” Bucky had a small smile. “If you think about it, it’s understandable… Toni’s always been good with numbers.”

“You two are close.” Steve observed.

The small smile dimmed a little and took a sad tinge. “I watched her grow up and work on my arm…” He waved with his good hand at his metal one. “I always felt the most… Me… When I was with her. It was the only time the Winter Soldier ever experienced emotions. He grew attached to the girl he kidnapped and made her watch her parents get killed right in front of her…”

“She won’t hold you responsible for that…”

“She has every right to.”

“But she won’t… Because she knows you.”

Bucky looked at him with a frown. “You don’t know that.”

“We’ll just wait until she wakes up and tells you. You take care of yourself Bucky… And please cooperate.”

 

 

 

“Captain Rogers?” As soon as he heard Jemma’s voice, Steve stood up.

“How is she, Jemma? And please call me Steve.”

“Ms. Stark is stable right now, and in an induced coma to give her body and brain the time to mend itself. Also, the device was successfully removed, and no brain damage has been detected. We still have to wait until she wakes up to see to what extent this intense electric shock affected her. However, she was lucky Sgt. Barnes and you acted as quickly as you did; this may have very well saved her life.”

“Thank you, Jemma” Jemma nodded with a small smile. “Can I see her?”

“Yes… She is being transferred to another room as we speak.”

“Alright, thank you and send Leo my regards.”

“Will do, Cap!” She replied back.

 

 

It took five days for Toni to come out of the coma. Five days in which Steve sat next to her bed, holding her hand and telling her stories of his life as Captain America, how he woke up in this new century… Five days in which SHIELD has been going through all the information JARVIS left for them… Five days in which Natasha and Clint were sent to the destroyed HYDRA base in an attempt to salvage anything left in the base. Five days in which the heart monitor went completely wild so many times, Steve ended up having a hard time keeping up the count and in which Jemma asked for daily fMRI to try and see why it was happening.

The young doctor explained to Steve after three days of studying her fMRI. “The part of the brain which has been suppressed over the years by the implant is the one in play… The suppressed memories are playing out while Ms. Stark’s unconscious. It’s unfortunately safe to say that not all of her memories are pleasant ones. We’ve begun the process of pulling her out of the induced coma by gradually reducing the sedatives… I estimate she’ll wake up sometime in the next two days.”

“Thank you, Jemma.” Steve said.

“You’re welcome… I assume you’ll stay with her until she awakes.” Steve nodded. “Please hit the call button when she wakes up.”

“Will do.”

 

Steve was dozing in and out of sleep from his position next to Toni until he felt her fingers twitch in his hand.

“Toni? Toni are you awake? Can you hear me?” Her eyes fluttered for a second before opening up slowly, pupils blown wide. “Here you go, that’s it…”

Toni blinked a few times before her eyes filled with recognition, taking a deep breath while her heartrate increased drastically as her free hand went up to the back of her head. Steve immediately caught it in his, slowly whispering to her in a soothing tone. “It’s okay… You’re okay, Toni… You’re safe. The implant has been safely removed… You’re fine. You’re fine…” Her eyes teared up as they locked on Steve’s, her hands squeezing his and her breathing stuttering as if in between hiccups. “I’ve got you, Toni… I’ve got you… You’re safe. We’re out… Everyone’s okay… We’ve escaped… Thanks to you.”

As soon as the first tears fell on her cheeks, Steve got up from his armchair and went to sit on her hospital bed, his hands coming up to her face in order to slowly wipe away the tear tracks and cup her cheek in a soothing attempt while reaching for the call button next to the bed.

Nurses came rushing in, quickly followed by Jemma. They took note of all the medical readings while Steve whispered soothing words to Toni, trying to calm her down with platitudes and reassurances… It didn’t take too long before Toni fell back asleep as the nurses removed the oxygen mask and switched to the nasal cannula.

 

Jemma led Steve outside the room and told him. “No brain damage was detected. All tests show she’s on her way to a full physical recovery. I’m just worried of the mental side of it all… I’m not going to lie to you Steve, it’s going to be tough.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

“Just… Stay by her side.”

“Always.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeyy! We're almost halfway through! Thank you for all the comments and a special shoutout to littlest1, your comments make my day!  
> Now it's only a matter of time before Toni heals... What do you think will happen next?


	7. Chapter 7

 

 

“That’s an awful lot of commitment for a person you only met a month ago.” Natasha stated suddenly as she came into the room.

“What do you want Natasha?”

“Fury called for a meeting in an hour… He wants you to be there.”

“Okay…” Steve didn’t take his eyes off of Toni’s figure. When minutes passed with Natasha still behind him, he turned to face her.

“Do you love her?”

Steve frowned at her. “What did you see?”

“The interview with Clint.”

“Then you have the answer to your question.”

“A kiss doesn’t tell me anything.”

“Do I seem to you like a guy who kisses people randomly?”

“You might be a guy suffering from Stockholm Syndrome for all I know.” Natasha replied. “We don't exactly have anything to build on... There was no actual footage of you two interacting.”

“She never was my kidnapper.”

“To my knowledge… She was the one behind the sedative which slowed you down. So technically she is.”

“You really think I have Stockholm Syndrome?”

“No I don’t…”

“Then what? Because as far as I know, I passed Clint's psych eval!”

Natasha considered him for a second. “I’m asking you as a friend.”

Steve sighed before nodding, acknowledging exactly what type of conversation this was and realizing it was Natasha's way of making sure he was okay. “I don’t think I was back then…? But I can be if I let myself.”

“Stane is the last name of her handler, Obadiah Stane, current CEO of Stark Industries now known as Stane Enterprises. He was a friend of Howard Stark back in the day…” Steve looked at Toni while processing the new bit of information.

“He’s the one who ordered the hit on the Stark family and laid claim over Toni.”

“Natasha Antonia Stark… You certainly don’t do things by halves, Steve.”

Before the super soldier could reply, he felt his hand being squeezed, so his head immediately turned in Toni’s direction. “S-Steve…”

As soon as he realized she was awake, Steve’s full attention fell on her as he squeezed back and talked soothingly. “Hey… Hey I’ve got you… I’m here, I’ve got you. You’re safe… You with me, now?” Toni nodded slowly with a slight wince as her eyes opened. “Hey, don’t move your head, you’ve been through surgery, you’ve got to give it time to heal…”

“Dove si trova mio soldato?”

“W-What?” Steve frowned before looking at Natasha for help.

“She’s speaking Italian… Asking where her soldier is.”

“Bucky?”

“Sì.” Toni’s own frown eased in recognition.

“He’s… He’s safe. He’ll be back next to you in no time.”

Toni sighed at that, blinking a few times before her eyes fell on the redhead. “Where am I?”

“SHIELD headquarters…”

Toni’s heartbeat increased. “I-I’m in SHIELD?” She turned to Steve, her eyes completely frantic. “Are they going to put me in a cell? W-Why am I in a hospital room? What have you done?”

“Toni… Toni please take a breath… I know this is hard to take, but you’ve helped us escape, but there were some complications with the implant… It’s why you’re in a hospital room. You might be restricted to certain areas, but we’re not going to contain you in a cell, quite the contrary… You’re going to be put under our protection.”

Confusion was written all over her face. “W-Why?”

“Do you know who you are?” Natasha asked.

Toni frowned. “N-Natasha Antonia…”

“No... Do you know your last name?” Toni’s heartbeat increased drastically at that, and soon she squeezed her eyes shut, whimpering.

“Toni!” Steve immediately got up and grabbed Toni’s face, murmuring slowly. “Calm down, please… Toni you’re not going to be punished if you say it, there’s nothing that would cause you pain if you said what your last name was. We just need to know if you remember that’s all. Please don’t resist it… Don’t block out your memories. You’re now free to access them whenever you want, pain free.”

Tears started falling down her cheeks as she shook slightly in Steve’s hold. “M-My name…” Her voice wavered, trembling. “Natasha Antonia Stark… M-My parents are Howard and Maria Stark… I was eight years old when HYDRA took me, when J-James… killed my parents.” Toni looked up at Steve, her eyes watery and inquiring. “W-What did you do… W-What did you do?!” Her voice was desperate and breaking at the end.

Steve felt his own eyes water as he listened. “W-What…?”

“W-Why can’t I feel pain?”

Steve’s throat constricted as his insides twisted in reaction to Toni’s words. “I told you, Toni... I told you. The doctors removed the implant, it’s gone Toni, forever. It should’ve always been like this… You shouldn’t have had to suffer all these years with the constant torture HYDRA inflicted on you. I’m so sorry, no one saved you before… I’m so sorry Toni.”

Toni’s eyes _eyes so expressive, they can keep the conversation going without words_ bore into his, searching him, searching for the lie in his eyes. “I-I’m safe…?” She must not have found anything as the smallest light of hope sparkled in her chocolate brown eyes, and the engineer crumbled right before him.

Similarly, Steve couldn’t stop the tears from falling deliberately on his cheeks as he bent down, resting his forehead gently against hers, muttering soothing words and promises.

Steve had absolutely no idea when Natasha left the room, nor did he care.

 

 

 

When Toni finally cried herself to sleep, Steve retreated back onto his armchair while wiping his own eyes and cheeks of the evidence of his moment of weakness. Taking a deep breath, Steve got up and left the hospital room.

He entered not so graciously into the conference room where Fury, Coulson, Hill, and the remaining Avengers members were sitting.

“Steve!” Sam got up as soon as the captain entered. “How is she?”

“As well as one can be in such a situation.” Came Steve’s response.

“Please keep in mind, she might still be on HYDRA’s side. No sharing confidential scientific studies… Every single one of you is charged with profiling Natasha Stark. Until we’re definitely sure she’s not here to bring us down, I don’t want her anywhere near anything electronic, and I want someone always watching her.” Fury said.

“With all due respect, Director, I think you’re taking things too far. What does she need to prove exactly? She saved me from HYDRA’s hands… She destroyed all of the blood vials they took from me, and locked every file HYDRA stored on computer from access. Every weapon and protection she ever manufactured for them were destroyed. HYDRA’s main facility is now a pile of rubble… Not to mention HYDRA wouldn’t have tried to kill her if she didn’t betray them. What else is there to prove?”

“Captain… You’re emotionally compromised, we can’t take your word, Sergeant Barnes’ or even hers into account.” Coulson explained.

Fury nodded. “I need my best agents to reach a conclusion before I decide if they’re innocent or not, until then I’m not going to risk the safety of everyone in this Compound because of your hunch.” 

“Cap, you know he’s right…” Clint stated. “You’d hate it if something were to happen because you trusted the wrong people.”

Steve frowned as he came to a deduction. “You won’t let her see Bucky…”

“Of course not… What if she triggers him.”

“You’re torturing her.”

“Captain…”

“No! No this is plain torture… You want her desperate… You want her lost and deprived.”

“Steve you’ve got to unders-…” Natasha tried to reason with him.

“I don’t have to anything, Nat! You heard her! You heard her… The first thing she asked to know when she woke up was Bucky’s whereabouts!!!!” Steve fumed. “I won’t stand for this.”

“What do you mean, Captain?” Coulson inquired, a hint of warning in his voice.

With determination, Steve stated. “If you won’t let them meet, I’ll just have to take matters into my own hands.”

“Are you going against orders, Captain?” Hill asked firmly.

“You’re making a huge mistake, Director…” Steve addressed the director.

“Are you threatening me?”

“Far from it… I’m just stating facts. Separating them would only make them less likely to cooperate… If you’d suggested we monitor their talks, I wouldn’t have opposed your decision, but with the way things seem to be going…”

“He has a point, Nick.” Bruce stated, and every other Avenger was nodding along Bruce's declaration.

“It’s too risky.” Hill replied.

“Honestly, I’m with Steve. I find it more risky to lose their trust and cooperation now…” Sam added. “We’ve already let Ms. Stark’s AI roam freely inside our database, if they wanted to actually breach our trust, Toni would have contacted Sgt. Barnes through JARVIS or even worse let him out and loose on us. The fact that she didn’t and that HYDRA isn’t here attacking us speaks volume.”

Natasha seemed to ponder this for a moment. “They’re right… We’ve already put ourselves in danger and took the risk of trusting them…”

Fury sighed. “Captain… I hope you know if something does happen…”

“I know Director… There’s no need for you to continue. They’re my responsibility.” Steve squared his jaw as Fury assessed him before nodding and getting out.

Clint approached him and put his hand over Steve’s shoulder in a gesture of support. “We’re backing you up here, Cap. This is your show.”

The _We trust you_ goes unsaid, but clearly felt as Steve answered. “Thank you.”

“What’s our move?”

“Set their meeting… Natasha and Clint I’ll leave surveillance to you, I need you to assess the situation.”

“You got it.”

 

 

“Hey Bucky…”

The man in question met Steve’s gaze with a blank stare that alarmed Steve. “Stevie…”

“She’s fine and actually eager to see you…” Bucky was up a second later standing in front of Steve with only a glass wall in between them.

“She remembers?”

“Why don’t you go and see.” The conflicted gaze he got might just have broken his heart.

“I c-can?”

“Of course… I’ll be escorting you to her room… She’s not allowed to get up, she still needs to rest. You ready?”

“Yeah…” Steve smiled at the answer before heading to the control board and opening the door.  “I thought I won’t get to see her.”

“It’s your right to see her… I wouldn’t have let them stop you.”

“You sure she’s alright?”

“She’s still shaken… The new environment and all the memories getting back to her are a bit overwhelming. I think she needs to see a familiar face and seeing you might just be what she needs to get settled.”

“What’s gonna happen to us, Stevie?”

“We’ll help you two heal and avenge you…” Steve asserted. “HYDRA’s gonna be put down.”

“They’ll become desperate and vicious now that they’ve lost Toni and me.”

“We know.” Steve actually looked smug. “We want them to be. They’ll become sloppy.” Steve stopped in front of Toni’s door and looked back at Bucky. “Just be careful Buck, alright?”

Bucky nodded. “Sure Stevie.”

 

 

 

“James?” Toni’s voice was the first thing that greeted him when he got inside the room. He immediately met her gaze and approached her bed with a single minded focus.

He zeroed in on the tears gathering on her eyes and the extended shaking hand; he immediately held onto Toni’s offered hand as well as sat on the bed next to her leaning down to press a kiss on her forehead, inhaling her in. “Toni… Hey don’t cry. It’s okay…” He let go of her hand in order to wipe the tears off her face with a gentle swipe of his thumb over her cheek. Leaning into the touch, she let out a sigh, closing her eyes as her hand joined Bucky’s on her cheek. “Are you okay, Toni? They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“No… No, they’ve been good. Took care of me… T-They gave me back my memories…” She said and felt him tense up over her. “James?”

“So you remember…” He went to extract himself, but Toni’s other hand caught his shirt with an iron grip preventing him from retreating.

“Don’t you dare… Don’t you dare back away out of some misguided sense of guilt. I know you… I know what they’ve done, hell I even assisted them in the torture they’ve inflicted on you. None of this is your fault.” Her voice sounded firm and stern, made so in order to drive the point home and Bucky couldn’t, for the life of him, look away from the intensity in her red rimmed eyes.

“But I still did it.” His voice was broken, the emotions impossible to hold back.

“I forgave you long before I knew it was you who killed my parents.” He flinched. “You’ve helped me escape… From what they told me, you’ve saved my life… I wouldn’t have been able to get out of that base without you. If you seriously want to insist on feeling guilty, then this should be enough to absolve you. I’m still alive because of you.”

“I put you there.”

“And you got me out.”

“Toni…”

Toni cradled his face with both hands while whispering. “I forgive you, James… Just… Stay. Please...”

Bucky watched for a moment before he nodded. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good.” They watched each other, soaking in each other’s presence.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this chapter!  
> Next chapter will be quite... The emotional ride.


	8. Chapter 8

 

 

It was nighttime when everything went to hell. One second Toni was asleep, the next she was woken up to two hands squeezing the air out of her lungs. Her hands tried to remove the assailants’ off of her, but he was stronger, and Toni’s oxygen level was quickly dropping as she gasped uselessly trying to breath.

“You have no idea how turned on I am seeing you like this… Weak.” She immediately recognized the voice as it belonged to Rumlow… “You were treated as a goddess, yet you refused the hand you were dealt…” The genius was trying to reach for the call button, only for Rumlow to burst out laughing. “What are you doing? What… Aren’t you supposed to be a genius? This is not how HYDRA trained you. Can’t you see that the power is down in here? Can’t you hear the fighting outside? No one’s coming for you, Natasha. No one… You’re alone. See… I really don’t think you’ve thought your plan through. First you didn’t account for HYDRA’s contingency plan which is in my opinion your biggest mistake, and second you ended up in SHIELD… I say HYDRA managed to kill two birds with one stone.” Toni whined underneath him, trying and failing to get out. “You can’t hide from us, Natasha… HYDRA owns you. Whoever you may have been in the past doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t matter because you’re HYDRA’s, and you’ll die knowing there is no escaping that.”

Rumlow bent down and whispered in her ear. “Hail HYDRA!”

“N-No…” Toni mumbled out as she renewed her efforts to break free while Rumlow increased the pressure on her neck. “H-Help please.” Her voice broke at the end as she felt her eyes tearing up, tears fell down her cheeks as black spots appeared at the edge of her vision.

Suddenly, Toni heard a battle cry, and soon after, she was able to breathe again as the pressure on her neck was lifted. Looking to her side, she saw James straddling Rumlow and landing quick blows to his head until he passed out.

The Winter Soldier got up and looked at her. “Are you okay?”

Toni nodded frantically, trying to calm herself while wiping away the tear tracks. “H-How did you get out?”

“JARVIS…” James checked her over for possible injuries. “The situation outside is contained. It’s over… You don’t have to worry.”

“Toni!!” Steve came in in a hurry, stopping when he saw James standing next to her. “Are you hurt?”

“I'm fine… What the hell happened?”

“Apparently, HYDRA wasn’t overly fond of what you did.”

“How did they get in here?!” Toni said with narrowed eyes. “This wasn’t supposed to happen… This place is heavily secured, more so with JARVIS backing you up. So how the hell did they bypass your security?”

Steve was taken aback by her hostile behavior. “I really don’t know, Toni.”

“You said you’d keep me safe. SHIELD would keep me safe, and I trusted you.” Her voice broke at the end before she took a steadying breath. “However, now I can see, I can’t exactly trust this organization with my security, nor can I trust it with my inventions.” Toni removed the IV drips attached to her and slowly got up from the bed under the watchful and confused eyes of the two super soldiers. “Cap, SHIELD is compromised… HYDRA infiltrated it. It explains how the two agents and you were ambushed in the mission that lead to your capture, and it explains how they managed to get in today. I can’t stay here knowing that at any second I can be killed.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere safe.”

“And you expect me to just let you leave?”

“Let me?” Toni actually smirked at that. “Cap… Cut the BS. You and I know you can’t stop me.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s the truth… Whether you like it or not. If SHIELD considers me as a prisoner then I would give them a reason for them to make me one; otherwise, don’t get in my way.” There was a dangerous glint in her eyes, yet Steve couldn’t for the life of him feel anything other than fierce protectiveness and pride towards her because he recognized the fire driving her. “So what’s it gonna be, Cap? Am I a prisoner or not?”

“A pain in my ass, that’s what you are.” Steve’s face softened in face of Toni’s resistance. “Is Bucky going with you?”

“I thought it was implied. James and I come as a package.” Toni stood defiantly, just as James took a step closer to her standing protectively at her side after tying Rumlow to the bed.

“Toni…”

“Steve… Please trust me…”

“I am choosing to trust you…” He looked at them both. “I just. I want you to know that if you ever happen to stand in the way, I won’t go easy on you. Cause if you’re not there, fighting by my side; you can be damn sure I’ll stop you.”

Toni smiled at that. “I’m counting on it. Hopefully, no one will have to get hurt.”

Steve stepped aside as Toni and James began to make their way out. “I think JARVIS can show you the way out of the Compound…” He caught Toni’s wrist before she passed the doorstep. “Hey…”

“Yeah Steve?” Toni turned to look at him.

“Be careful out there, will you?” Steve told her.

Toni didn’t answer. Instead, she cradled his face with her two hands and leaned her forehead against his while closing her eyes. Steve breathed her in before whispering to her and putting his hands around her waist. “I’ll come back for you, Toni.” The engineer shuddered against him, taking a shaky breath and extricating herself from his hold.

“I’m holding you to that, Steve.” She smiled at him before running away with James taking her by the wrist and steering her towards the exit.

 

Steve remained standing there, looking shell-shocked when Clint found him. “Where is she?”

“Toni left.”

“She left before you came here, or did you let her leave?”

“Does it matter?”

“More than you think.”

“I let her.”

“Fury’s going to kill you, Cap.”

“I know… I also happen to have something useful for him.”

“What?” Clint inquired.

Steve pointed at the knocked-out Rumlow tied to the bed. “He’s very deep into HYDRA’s system… I bet he knows who our mole is.”

“Mole?”

“Toni said we have a mole between us.”

“And you just believed her?”

“I know how that sounds Clint.”

“No I don’t think you really do… I’m starting to regret clearing you for duty without proper psych eval.”

“Stop it, Clint!! Just stop… Toni has a point, how the hell would they have known we were attacking them, Nat, you and I, if they didn’t have a mole inside… We didn’t use anything remotely technological for Toni to have been able to hack us. Not to mention, you already shut down several HYDRA bases… You managed to get the weapons Toni made them… You already studied them and began replicating them… Why in the world would she let you get your hands on her technology and end her handlers. Why in the world would she wait that long to make the attack on us? Not to mention how Rumlow was clearly here to kill her, and Bucky stopped him. We were supposed to keep her safe, weren’t we?” Steve took a deep breath. “So explain to me why did HYDRA manage to get far enough to reach her room which was heavily secured?”

“Cap… This… All of this might be a set up.”

Steve replied. “And what if it’s not?” He glanced in Rumlow’s direction. “What do we do then?”

“I don’t know Cap…” Clint regarded him uncertainly.

“We should take him into interrogation.”

“Yeah.”

 

 

 

“What are we gonna do now?”

“I didn’t really plan it through.” Toni admitted. “I’m sorry I dragged you into this, James.”

“I would have followed you anyway… I’m not safe in SHIELD if HYDRA agents have infiltrated it.”

“You’re not safe with me, either.”

“I trust you… I think it’s enough.”

“We need to find a safehouse.”

“You have any idea where we could go?”

“I might… We might need to borrow a car, however.”

Bucky looked at the parking to their right. “This won’t be a problem.”

“You know how to drive?”

“Enough to get somewhere safe.”

Toni tilted her head to the side with a small smile. “I can work with that.”

As soon as they got in the car, Toni hotwired it and they were on their way. “So I managed to find this laptop while on our way out of SHIELD which is outright lucky. I’ll try and see if I can find the location I’m looking for.”

“How do you know this place?”

“It’s my butler’s house… I hope he’s still alive.”

“The real Jarvis?”

Toni smiled shyly. “Yeah that’s the one.”

 

 

 

“What do you mean they’re gone?” Fury snapped.

“When I got to Toni’s room she wasn’t there… I assumed Barnes went with her because Nat found his cell’s door open and no trace of him throughout the Compound.” Clint reported while Steve stood there, looking a bit disoriented as to why Clint didn’t report that Steve intercepted them.

“Also, there was no evidence of a forced exit in Barnes’s cell, so we can safely say that it’s JARVIS who helped him out.” Natasha continued.

“So you mean to tell me HYDRA’s head engineer and main assassin have escaped in the midst of HYDRA’s raid, and I’m supposed to believe that the HYDRA operatives’ mission was to kill Toni?” Fury’s voice grew even more irritated. “Rogers, what do you have to say? You’re strangely calm for someone who’s been proven wrong.”

“I believe we have a mole inside SHIELD.”

Fury regarded him incredulously. “And pray tell, how did you figure it out?”

“There’s no other way HYDRA agents would have infiltrated us so effortlessly without getting detected.”

“You seem to have forgotten that Stark’s AI was in our system… He could have easily navigated them throughout the Compound and disabled our security.”

“But why wait until now? Why give us all this information about HYDRA, all the locations of HYDRA’s main bases and weapon stashes?”

“To make us trust them.”

“We should maybe entertain the idea that maybe Toni and Bucky were trustworthy and JARVIS didn’t turn all evil on us overnight… That HYDRA has managed to infiltrate us because several people were helping them on the inside…” He could feel everyone staring at him with varying expressions, and his anxiety levelled up a notch. “You all seem to have forgotten that if they were setting us up… They didn’t have to pull all these theatrics. JARVIS was already in our system. The head engineer and HYDRA’s fist were both in here… The two of them could have freaking killed us all while we were sleeping. HYDRA isn’t exactly known for their honor… They’ll go for the kill whenever the opportunity rises. So tell me, why didn’t they?!”

There a beat of silence before Fury’s cold voice broke it. “Let me sum this up… You expect me to trust two volatile supposedly ex-HYDRA agents over MY OWN AGENTS? Do you realize how crazy you sound Roger-…”

“Director you’re not listenin-”

“Enough!! I’m done listening to you… When I did dozens of SHIELD agents were killed, and our defenses have been reduced to absolutely nothing.” Fury clenched his jaw before glancing at Clint. “I knew I shouldn’t have let Barton assess you! I should have known he would let his bias affect his basic judgement skills.” The archer’s mouth set into a thin line. “You’re benched Cap… No, in fact, Hill lock him up. I don’t want anyone communicating with him until I can get everything under control least of all the Avengers…” Hill nodded and produced a set of handcuffs from her pocket. “I seriously believe that you left Captain America back in that HYDRA cell, Rogers… Because the man we knew wouldn’t have willingly put everyone in danger like this.” The disappointment in Fury’s voice made Steve’s stomach drop.

“Director…” Steve tried to explain only to be shot down.

“Whatever you have to say, save it for the real psych evaluation, Rogers.” Fury interjected as an awkward silence settled in the room. “Dismissed.” With that Fury left the room

“Come on, Rogers…” Hill prompted him to move as Steve stood there stunned.

Clint, Natasha, Bruce and Sam were looking at him with pained expression. Clint mouthed at him. “We’ll get you out.”

He swallowed and nodded before following Hill’s lead.

 

 

 

“Toni, is that really you?” Jarvis’ eyes teared up as he stared at Toni standing in front of him with James at her back.

“Yeah, J…” Toni’s own eyes watered. “It’s been a long time, huh?”

The next hour was spent with one half filled with ugly crying and the other half explaining everything to the old man who listened with increasing interest to Toni’s story.

“This is a lot to take in…” Jarvis admitted.

“I know and I’m sorry for springing this on you like that… But I need your help. I’m in need of a safehouse and you’re the only person I know I can trust.” Toni confessed as James squeezed her knee comfortingly. “Will you help me?”

Jarvis stared at her before shaking his head. “Of course I will. I took a pledge to protect you, and I spent years thinking I failed… Now that I get a second chance, it would be foolish of me to refuse it.”

Toni’s heart warmed at that. “When I began to get my memories back… You were the first person I remembered. You always were my anchor Jarvis… And I will forever be grateful to have you in my life.”

Jarvis opened his arms wide, looking at Toni with an eyebrow raised, and the engineer smiled shyly before approaching him, leaning down and into his waiting arms. The second she was embraced by him, all the tension she held vanished… A sense of warmth, rightness, security and relief filled her, and she felt elated as if she was finally where she was supposed to be.

“I’ve missed this… I remember missing you so much, it always hurt… My first AI, the one who helped me escape, I named him after you JARVIS. It seemed fitting…” Toni swallowed down another bout of tears as her voice shook. “There is still a huge chunk of my life that I don’t remember… So much is missing, but somehow my memories of you were still intact… I’m really glad you’re still alive, J… That they haven’t managed to get to you.”

“Why would they think of going after a mere butler? It’s not like I have anything valuable I could give them… Ana and I went back to our boring lives after the Incident. We knew Peggy would be looking for you… They never did find your body or any trace of your blood in the car, and it never sat well with her, so she kept searching for you until they called off the search as HYDRA made their rise to absolute power. Governments of the world were slowly and classily overthrown as HYDRA made their control known to everyone, and SHIELD became the resistance. Suddenly, Peggy had a lot on her plate and the organization couldn’t afford to lose resources on their search for you…” Jarvis sighed. “If we’d have known HYDRA had their filthy hands on you… Everything would have changed.” Jarvis’s hold tightened. “They’ve taken you from me… There is no way I won’t help you get rid of them.”

“Thank you, Jarvis. I knew I can count on you. See James… You didn’t have to worry.”

The Winter Soldier shuffled his feet where he was seated. “I trusted he would help you… I just wasn’t sure he’d spare me.”

Jarvis’s eyes hardened. “Even though, you were the one to kidnap her, I do recognize you were as much a victim as her… It would pretty heartless of me to punish you for something that was done under coercion.” Jarvis nodded at him. “You’ll still be watched, Sergeant Barnes, but if Toni trusts you, I trust her judgement. I hope you don’t end up, stabbing her in the back.”

James looked at Toni. “I won’t.”

Jarvis nodded before addressing the engineer. “When this is all over, and you managed to take down HYDRA and Stane… Remind me to introduce you to Virginia Potts, the COO at Stane Enterprises. She’s a gem, and I’m sure you’ll get along. Peggy was the one that got her the job, and I’m pretty sure, Virginia is on the resistance’s side. For when you decide to take the company back.”

“It’s still too early for that. There’s more important stuff for now.” Toni shook her head. “Jarvis where can we go? Somewhere no one would be able to track us.”

“Master Stark had purchased an estate in the middle of the mountains. He used to go there when he wanted a moment of peace. It was equipped with the best untraceable technology as well as had an underground workshop where he used to work on projects from there. I believe this estate would fit your requirements, miss.”

Toni grinned at him. “Indeed it will. Got a location?”

 

 

 

 

“Good morning, Captain Rogers. I’m Dr. Madison Gray, the psychiatrist who’s charged with your psych eval.” She nodded at him before taking a seat in front of his cell. “I understand these past few days were difficult to take in… I surely hope you’ve had enough time to ponder through all of it. I took the liberty of asking that patient-doctor confidentiality was assured, so the cameras and audio feedback from this room are to be cut off for however long I spend here with you during our sessions. You have nothing to fear, or to feel embarrassed about. The sooner you cooperate, the sooner you’ll be cleared of the charges, and the easier it will be for you to get back to your normal life.”

“Let’s get this over with.” Steve said begrudgingly from where he sat in front of the doctor.

Madison grinned at him with a slightly malicious tint in her eyes which Steve shrugged as his increasing paranoia’s doing. “Let’s start with something simple. Your kidnapping…”

The next few minutes were spent with Steve answering the doctor’s questions.

“What happened when they took you?”

“When did you meet Antonia Stark?”

“What did they tell you about her?”

“What did they do to you?”

“You underwent two types of torture? Which one did you think was the most damaging? The physical or the psychological one?”

“When did Antonia’s visits become frequent?”

“Wasn’t there a possibility that she was in fact trying to ease you into the breaking?”

“So you knew she was helping HYDRA break you and you didn’t resist?”

“You’re doing a very poor job of convincing me you don’t have a case of Stockholm Syndrome, Captain… How did you so easily trust her?”

“When she ‘helped’ you escape… What did she tell you?”

“She told you not to give up? Did she specify on what?”

“Not to give up on Captain America?”

“You truly believe the Winter Soldier could erase seventy years’ worth brainwashing and Natasha Stark who grew up inside the organization could throw all of this behind her, just because you triggered them?”

The session was becoming increasingly frustrating as whatever Steve said was twisted in a way that proved HYDRA had gotten to him… Dr. Madison Gray was closing her journal and getting up from her chair when she looked at him straight in the eyes.

“Captain… I think that the sooner you accept HYDRA broke you, the quicker the healing process could start. Until then, you’re stuck in denial, refusing to admit you’ve been played and set up. I truly believe HYDRA knew exactly how to get to you, and it became increasingly obvious to them when you reacted as violently as you did to the Winter Soldier, the teenager and Agent Carter… You said it yourself to Agent Barton, they knew your weakness. You cared… So much. So they gave you Antonia Stark, their golden asset… HYDRA wrapped her up in a mystery that got you curious and had you so touch starved that when she finally did initiate contact, you were helpless to refuse it.” She sighed as if she was pained to admit all of this to Steve; it made him bristle. “Didn’t you think it was suspicious how forthcoming the HYDRA higher-ups were with you when it came to her? It was deliberately done to spike your curiosity. I know it’s difficult for you to wrap your head around the fact that HYDRA may have succeeded, but it is essential to your healing. I seriously hope that by our next session you would have contemplated retrospectively on everything that has happened. It may not seem like it right now… You may view everyone here as your enemy, someone standing in your way. But please believe we all want what’s best for you, Captain Rogers. Your recovery is very important to everyone involved, and nothing comes easy. But it’s alright because order only comes through pain…”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many things changed in this chapter, what do you think will happen next?!   
> I hope you enjoyed it, the same way I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for the support!


	9. Chapter 9

 

“This is it?” James asked looking at Toni who was typing furiously at the laptop.

The engineer looked up at the Winter Soldier before turning her attention at the small house in front of them. “Yeah… It matches Jarvis’ description of the place.” Toni closed the laptop and hopped out of the car before rushing towards the front door. She took out the keys Jarvis gave her and unlocked the door, immediately the whole house lit up like a Christmas Tree.

“JARVIS do me a favor and erase anything pertaining to our arrival here. Interfere with satellites if you have to…”

“Toni we need to lose the car. They might be able to track us…”

“Don’t worry, JARVIS got it covered. Now come in, we have a lot of work to do. If what JARVIS said was true, I have enough resources to start working on our weapons, if we want to take HYDRA down.”

It took Toni a few days to get everything in order, providing them with the means to take down anyone standing in their way and starting by making James a new and improved metal arm. JARVIS managed to pinpoint the location of one of their primary bases, and just like that the Act 1 of their plan started.

The element of surprise gave them the upper hand as they raided the base and took down as much HYDRA agents as they could before Toni accessed the control room, downloaded and uploaded everything then initiated the self-destruct protocol. The Winter Soldier and Toni made their classy retreat by high jacking one of HYDRA’s Quinjets while taking with them enough material for Toni to continue providing them with the best sort of protection, weapons and technology.

 

 

 

“Something’s wrong…” Clint grumbled three weeks after HYDRA’s raid as he threw Gray’s day report to the floor.

“Just because you read Cap wrong Clint, doesn’t mean what’s happening now is wrong.” Sam remarked.

“You don’t understand… This was never supposed to happen. If HYDRA was meaning to get us all killed why go through all this trouble of risking the life of Stark when we all know she’s practically singlehandedly led HYDRA to glory?”

Bruce nodded. “I read the report… If not for Sergeant Barnes’ quick thinking, she would have been nothing but a vegetable by the time they arrived here. The device they removed was directly connected to the memory part of the brain, and was programmed to deliver an electric charge every time it was stimulated.” He sighed while rubbing his temples. “There’s also the fact that not only would their head engineer be compromised, but also their main assassin. Barnes was down an arm when they arrived… It puts the two of them in a huge disadvantage if HYDRA’s intention was the two of them infiltrating and taking us down from the inside.”

“So you truly think there’s a mole between us?” Natasha asked.

“Moles…” Clint corrected.

“There’s more than one?” Sam asked incredulously. “You don’t seem to realize how dangerous what you’re saying is… SHIELD infiltrated, the last defense being taken down from the inside. Something like that doesn’t work unless it’s been there since the beginning and if that’s the case then what are we fighting for?!”

“The only way to know for sure is to ask Rumlow.” Natasha said.

Clint scowled. “Fury benched us… Said we’re too emotionally compromised. We don’t have permission to get anywhere near the HYDRA’s operatives.”

“When did that ever stop us?” The Black Widow smirked at the archer, who immediately caught on her plan and grinned back.

“This has the potential of sending us all in prison alongside Steve.” Sam pointed out.

“We’ll just have to be extra careful then.” Natasha flashed a dangerous grin at him.

 

“You guys seem to be getting desperate, I see.” Rumlow grinned at the two assassins who dropped down from the vents and into his cell. “The interrogation just took a turn and became up close and personal.”

“I suggest you shut up, Rumlow… And only talk when asked to.” Clint commented as he stood by Natasha’s side.

“You know why we’re here. You know exactly why we weren’t sent in to question you personally and officially. You know exactly why we’re here up close and personal with you. And you know what we want. So start talking.” Natasha said flatly.

“I don’t think it’s that easy, Red.”

“Red is the only color you’ll be seeing if you don’t cooperate, Rumlow.” Natasha threatened.

“Straight to the point I see… Hmm…” Rumlow turned his back to them. “I think you guys were benched because SHIELD finally realized their Avengers were more trouble than they can afford.” His voice took a pitying tone. “What happened?! Why isn’t Captain Rogers here questioning me? I thought he’d be the first one here questioning me after I attacked the girl he’s sweet on. Is he too busy helping the poor soul get rid of the trauma she’s been through?”

Clint frowned. “Why are you so interested in knowing where Cap is? What does HYDRA want with him?”

“What does HYDRA want with him? Oh you really are dumber than I thought. Can you imagine what would happen if the world saw Captain America surrender to HYDRA?” Clint’s jaw tightened. “How devastated they would be… Everyone will surrender then… Everyone will know no resistance will stand in HYDRA’s way. Everyone will be ready to Hail HYDRA…” He drawled out with a smirk as he turned to the two assassins. “You came to me looking for answers… But I’m gonna give you one better. How about I tell you what I think is happening? Hm…” Rumlow sat down on his chair and spread lazily on it. “Captain America is not here after me because SHIELD got him… SHIELD thinks he’s been broken by HYDRA and been manipulated by Natasha to lead us here. SHIELD benched you because it thinks you are emotionally compromised. I think you guys are here looking for answers. Answers that would prove your Captain’s innocence. Well… I don’t have anything for you.”

“Why did HYDRA want her dead?”

“It was only a matter of time before HYDRA deemed her too much of a threat.” Rumlow frowned at them. “What I don’t understand is why you think I’d have more answers than Natasha. After all she’s the one who’s orchestrated all this.”

“It’s standard procedure.” Was Clint’s automatic response.

Rumlow considered this before laughing wholeheartedly. “Oh my God… Oh… She managed to escape didn’t she? She managed to escape alongside the Winter Soldier. That’s why you’re here questioning me instead of questioning them. I can’t believe the plan actually worked.”

“What plan?” Natasha inquired.

“Drive them out of their hiding spot.” Rumlow smirked. “Now Rogers’ being evaluated, isn’t he? For potentially conspiring with the enemy. Oh my, SHIELD is such a mess now. Now I can see why you’re so desperate. The Avengers are down for the count and your organization is outright vulnerable.”

“But…” Natasha had enough of Rumlow’s monologues. “It’s been that way for a long time now, wasn’t it?” This effectively managed to shut down Rumlow who frowned at her. “HYDRA had infiltrated SHIELD long before Captain America was recovered and long before we were even recruited. It explains how we managed to find him before you. We actually didn’t. HYDRA’s been there all along.” Natasha took a menacing step forward. “I think HYDRA felt itself threatened when the Winter Soldier and your head engineer managed to get away from under your hand, when Captain America actually managed to shake HYDRA at its foundation by erasing years of brainwashing from your primary assets. I think everything that happened a week ago was meant to set Cap, Barnes and Stark up… And it’s working, bravo! But we’re onto you… We’re onto you, and we’ll put an end to whatever ploy you’ve concocted this time. HYDRA won’t win.”

Rumlow’s grin was outright nasty. “It’s already too late, Agent Romanoff… How are you going to prove this? Nothing in this conversation was recorded. The camera’s disabled, all of your phones were hacked and the recording will be deleted as soon as you save it.” He clapped at them. “You figured us out. Unfortunately, it’s too late like I said. It’s only a matter of time before any resistance is stepped on. It’s only a matter of time before SHIELD is shaken to its core. There’s a time bomb somewhere in here… How are you going to diffuse it, Agents?”

Suddenly, the prison was flooded with SHIELD agents, opening the door to Rumlow’s cell and pointing their guns at Natasha and Clint. “Agent Romanoff, Agent Barton… Come out of the cell.”

Natasha and Clint raised their hands in the air with a frustrated sigh before making their way out. The second Rumlow was once again locked up, the SHIELD agents ordered.

“Surrender your weapons, Agents.”

Clint finally snapped before trading quick glances with Natasha. “Like hell we will.” With that, the pair attacked the agents and stripped them off their weapons, firing at the others taking as much people down before Falcon and the Hulk made their way inside the prison.

“Heard you guys might need help.” Falcon commented with a tired edge in his voice.

“Nice timing, pal.” Clint admitted as he took down several agents.

“We need to get out of SHIELD! We’ve been made.” Natasha yelled out as she fired at some of the agents before running in the Falcon’s direction. “Hulk get Clint out of here, I’ll hitch a ride with Falcon.”

“Copy that.” Falcon swept the Black Widow up in the air just as the Hulk grabbed Hawkeye and the two of them made their way out of the Compound.

 

“You sure no one’s followed us?” Natasha asked as they hid inside a warehouse.

“As soon as we were out, I activated the reflective panels in my suit and widened their span enough for us to make our way here.” Sam explained.

“We’re leaving Cap behind?” Clint inquired. “While knowing HYDRA could get their hands on him? He has no protection.”

“We don’t have a choice, Clint.” Bruce sighed. “We’re fugitives now… SHIELD and HYDRA have enough juice to knock me out. A simple EMP would have taken Falcon down, and they could’ve just as easily outnumbered you pretty soon. You were without your bow and Natasha without her Widow Bites… It was a matter of time before they contained us and thrown us in a cell similar to the one that’s holding Steve. Then what? How are we supposed to have his back?”

“Bruce has a point. We need to regroup… Figure what our plan should be.” Sam admitted.

“Toni and Bucky… If they knew Steve was in danger, they’ll help him for sure.” Clint suggested.

“So we’re supposed to get a hold of a tech genius and a master spy and assassin. Who at best are emotionally unstable and at worst might have gone back to HYDRA.” Natasha said.

“It’s a suicide mission.” Clint nodded.

“So when do we start?” Sam asked as he looked at all of them.

“Maybe we should raid a few HYDRA bases to know where she went?” Bruce suggested.

“This might be a good idea. It’ll alert her to our presence.” Natasha conceded.

 

The next day, they were on their way to one of the listed HYDRA bases JARVIS had provided SHIELD. When they arrived however, instead of a maximum security fortress, they were met with chaos, smoke everywhere and a building in crumbles. Natasha rushed to the scene, desperately trying to find anything that could clue them into what happened. When she spotted a HYDRA operative groaning and trying to get up, she immediately pounced on him, pressing him back down. “What happened here?!”

“Hey lady… Get the hell away from me.”

Natasha produced one of her knives and pressed it to the man’s throat. “You gonna talk now?!”

“There was a man and a woman… They raided the base and made it self-destruct. They’ve been doing that to several other HYDRA bases now.”

“Did you see them? The man and the woman?”

“Yeah yeah.” The man answered franticly. “They had very advanced weapons, came in a Quinjet similar to the ones HYDRA has and the man he had a metal arm.”

“A metal arm you said?”

“Yeah… Yeah! The woman if I’m not mistaken, I think it’s that genius Natasha everyone in HYDRA kept talking about. I have no idea what the hell happened that screwed her hea-” Natasha knocked him out with a precise punch to the face before getting back up and joining the rest of the Avengers.

“You get anything?” Clint asked.

“Barnes and Stark were here.” Natasha stated. “They are taking down HYDRA bases one by one.”

“Oh!” Clint perked up. “That’s a good thing, right? It means Steve was right…”

“Doesn’t mean they’re with us.” Sam interjected.

Bruce shook his head. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend; that’s how the say goes, right? I think they’ll recognize that, and will appreciate all the backing they could get.”

“We still have to get in contact with them.” Clint groaned.

“That’s the easy part.” Natasha nodded at them.

 

 

 

 “You seem better.” Madison commented as she made her presence known. “Calmer… Right?” Steve looked up at her with a blank look before nodding. “Good, that’s good. Today we’ll touch down on HYDRA, enough of all the Toni and Bucky stuff, we’re diving straight into the main subject, alright?” Another nod, but this time it made her chuckle lightly. “You’ll be happy to comply, won’t you?” The choice of the words should have made him bristle instead he feels himself grow calmer by the second. “You seem to be settling well, Steve… Have you been thinking about accepting your situation like I’ve suggested all those weeks back?”

“Yes.”

“And? What came out of your retrospection?”

He took a deep breath. “HYDRA… I accepted that HYDRA broke me.”

“Okay… Okay that’s good. It’s already a huge step forward.” Madison nodded. “And how do you feel about that?”

“Confused? I don’t know how I should be feeling. I’ve spent all my life resisting and fighting them, and then I surrendered?”

“But you became tired of all the resistance and the fighting didn’t you?” Steve frowned. “So it became easier for you to break under the pressure and the emotional persuasion they’ve put you through.” The captain’s hands twitched and his jaw clenched. “It’s okay Steve… There’s nothing wrong with admitting that. It’s actually a good thing… It’s good to know that surrendering ended the turmoil you’ve been living in.” Steve was staring at her, listening, so Madison thought the moment was perfect for the usual song. “Now just relax… Take a deep breath. Calm your mind. Surrender to the flow of your thoughts… Surrender and you’ll find meaning… Surrender and you’ll find release. You know what’s best… What’s best is you comply.” A beat of silence followed, the only sound coming through was Steve’s steady breathing. "What are you thinking about now, Steve?”

“I’m thinking about how good it felt surrendering-…” He shuddered before continuing the sentence. “-the truth and sharing it with you.”

“It should feel good. Those sessions are meant to help you reconnect with yourself. With your true self. Doesn’t it feel like you’re getting a deeper understanding of who you are as a person now?” Steve nodded. “You’ve spent all those years, swaying between being Captain America and Steve Rogers, you as a person got lost in the middle. You can’t find your way out and your trip to HYDRA tilted your world off kilter, didn’t it?” Another nod. “Put everything into perspective again.” Steve’s silence was answer enough. “Didn’t you happen to think that if you didn’t have to resist and fight as much, all those people wouldn’t have died?”

“When they killed that teenager and Peggy.”

“Only when they killed that teenager, did you realize that, huh?” Madison noted this. “What does that say about you?”

“That I’ve been going about this all wrong?” Steve inquired.

“Yes. Yes…” Madison smiled. “Let’s try to hypothesize… If you had said what they wanted you to say, what would have happened?”

“I would have spared Peggy’s life.”

“And?”

“That teenager…” Steve gulped.

“And?” Steve frowned as he tried to think of an answer. “What happened when you surrendered Steve?”

“I felt good.”

“Exactly. Now we get to the tricky part.” She stated. “I need you to tell me exactly what they said you should say to avoid all of the chaos that followed.”

“What?”

“You know, the two words you’ve been refusing to say.”

“Hail HYDRA?” Steve asked genuinely confused. It’s the first time saying them even off-handedly felt easy.

“Yes… Those words. Can you please say them?”

“Sure but why?”

“You’ll know soon. Now can you say them again?”

Steve nodded. “Hail HYDRA.”

“Good, very good, Steve.” She smiled reassuringly at him. “How did it feel when you said them at the time?”

“Right.”

“Good, now listen to me. Before you say them again, I want to perform the calming exercise, deal?” Steve nodded. “Good, and I want you to focus exactly on these feelings… Calm and right. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes.”

Madison nodded at him before starting. “Take a deep breath.” Steve breathed in and closed his eyes. “Calm your mind. Surrender to your thoughts… Surrender and you’ll find meaning… Surrender and you’ll find release. You know what’s best… What’s best is you comply. Are you ready to comply, Steve?”

Steve opened his eyes for the first time in a long time. “Hail HYDRA.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One down, two to go! I really hope you're enjoying the ride.


	10. Chapter 10

 

“You’re a hard woman to find, Stark.” Clint commented as he and the rest of the Avengers stood in front of Toni and James who were making their way out of the HYDRA base they finished destroying.

Toni swept a quick assessing glance at all of them before frowning. “Where’s Steve?”

“We’re not here for that.” Natasha ignored her.

This must not have been the best move to do as the Winter Soldier took a step forward and hid Toni from view before speaking. “What do you want from her?”

“We’re on the run.” Bruce admitted immediately, recognizing the tenseness and not wanting things to escalate.

“W-What?” Toni frowned even harder. “On the run from who exactly?”

“SHIELD.”

“Okay, that’s not surprising given that you’ve been infiltrated and I suppose Steve told you about that.” Toni nodded to herself. “But this still doesn’t explain why you guys would be on the run without Steve, your Captain.”

“SHIELD got him.”

“What do you mean got him?” Toni scowled and James’ metal hand tightened.

“After you escaped… Fury lost it and labelled him a traitor until proven wrong. He’s now in psych eval confined to a cell.”

“You left Steve in SHIELD alone! Without any backup!!! While knowing it’s been infiltrated by HYDRA!” Toni’s voice raised. “What the hell is wrong with you?! What the fuck?! I can’t…” She was wheezing as her hand came up to her chest and she tried taking in desperate breaths.

James immediately held her and began whispering to her. “Take a deep breath, Toni… Come on, you’re safe, you’re okay. We’re fine. Calm down…”

“I’m safe!!” Toni cried out. “But he’s not… He’s not! HYDRA got him… They got him. And he’s al-…” Toni fell silent suddenly.

“Stark?” Sam called out and suddenly was met with Toni’s steely gaze.

“Operation Supernova.”

James tensed next to her. “What?”

“He’s Operation Supernova. The dying star...” Toni said with increasing panic. “A supernova may cause a black hole to form… This is all very poetic, but HYDRA thrives on those metaphors. Captain America a national icon turned into one of their own would certainly be the equivalent of a black hole.”

“This is what Rumlow meant.” Clint said, seeming a bit dazed.

“Rumlow? You talked to him.” James asked. “What did he say?”

“He told us exactly what would be the fallout of Steve supporting HYDRA’s cause.”

“This is their play. This is it.” Toni’s breathing became ragged. “All these raids, taking down all of their weaponry. I’ve been going about this all the wrong way. They never cared for physical power. HYDRA thrived on terror… Thrived on emotional power. And all of their resources are now focused on Steve.”

“And he’s all alone.” Natasha stated.

A heavy silence fell on all of them before Toni broke the silence. “Everyone get in the Quinjet. We can’t stay here any longer…”

 

It was a very quiet trip back to Toni and James’ base… No one was willing to speak in the aftermath of discovering what HYDRA was planning… It’s only when they were inside the house that Natasha said. “What are we going to do now?”

“I don’t know… I need to think.” Toni responded.

“Shouldn’t we go free Steve?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“You’ve been tag-teaming with the Winter Soldier here taking down HYDRA bases one by one as if it were a game.” Clint remarked.

“I know that. And I resent never having seen through that… It shouldn’t have been this simple infiltrating these bases… It shouldn’t have, yet it was. HYDRA was expecting me, us… They know us. Knew we’d be exacting our vengeance on them, and played us. A distraction… All of this was a distraction. Get me busy enough to overlook what HYDRA was doing in SHIELD. I thought Steve could handle it… I didn’t realize he was in such a vulnerable leading position just from having James and I brought inside SHIELD… I didn’t realize we would be jeopardizing him in our escape.”

“It’s not your fault, Toni.” Bruce said, shyly using the name James called her by.

“It is! It really is… I’m supposed to be a genius… I’m supposed to be…”

“You’re supposed to be resting. Not out there fighting a fight you didn’t ask for.” Bruce intervened. “You’ve had severe brain damage, only a month ago, and you’re here taking down the most dangerous organization that has ever existed. I don’t really blame you if you’re not firing all cylinders. I’m not expecting that out of you. No one is… You’ve already outdone yourself…  Now that you’re made aware of the situation. What are you gonna do?”

Toni fell silent before murmuring. “Why are you asking me? I’m not… I’m not an Avenger. I’m hardly someone you should trust, given my history. Despite all that, the remaining Avengers are here asking for my help. Why?!”

“Steve trusted you.” Sam answered as sincerely as possible. “And we trust Steve.”

“By extension, we trust you to take the lead, do what’s right, just like you did when you got Steve out of HYDRA.” Natasha added.

“So what are you gonna do about this, Toni?” Bruce asked again, with a small smile as he recognized the gears turning in Toni’s sparkling eyes.

 

 

It takes about three days to prepare everything. Three days of making new weapons for the Avengers, three days of planning, three days of working on a very private project only James and she knew about, three days of finalizing it and assembling it, three whole days to be ready for that grand finale. The grand finale in which they would end HYDRA’s myth and restore the world’s equilibrium… The grand finale in which Toni knew both sides were perfectly ready for. There was no element of surprise and not any other sort of advantage in this. HYDRA knew her, knew that the sudden stoppage of raids meant that she and James were preparing for something bigger. They knew it and were prepared for it. What Toni feared the most, however, is that they’ve prepared Steve for this as well. This battle had too much at stake… But they were ready, they had to be as they flew to SHIELD HQ.

When they arrived there, SHIELD/HYDRA agents were waiting for them. Fury was standing in front of them as the whole cavalry were pointing their guns at the Quinjet landing in front of the Compound. The Avengers along with Toni and James walked out of it, hands raised.

“You sure know how to treat survivors, Director.” Toni commented.

“You’re no survivor… No matter what your last name is.”

“I don’t even remember the full implications of my last name either… But still doesn’t deny the fact that HYDRA took me. Brainwashed me. Turned me into their very own puppet unwillingly. I remember all too clearly resisting them… I certainly can’t say the same about you.”

“Again with the moles theory?!” Fury snapped. “I think I was already clear no one here’s gonna fall for that.”

“Not even if we have evidence?” Natasha retorted.

“Evidence may very well be forged, Agent Romanoff.”

“You’ve got no problem believing the forged evidence meant to set up Captain America.” Sam scowled at him.

“There’s no forged evidence. Just simple observation skills.”

“The same observation skills that haven’t noticed your organization being infiltrated by HYDRA, Director.” Clint said.

“HYDRA knew exactly when Nat, Clint and Steve were going to hit their base. They were even prepared… An ambush like that doesn’t happen accidentally. They knew beforehand, those three were going to strike, and we sure as hell can’t blame our technology for giving us up because that mission was on fucking paper, Director.” Sam added. “Only few had known when the mission was launched… You, Hill, Coulson, Sitwell and the Avengers.”

“Are you saying I’m HYDRA?” Fury looked at them as if they had lost their mind.

“Well you might be.” Toni grinned at him evilly before taking several steps forward towards him. “As far as I know, Steve alerted you of SHIELD being infiltrated by HYDRA. You threw him in a cell, agreed to a patient-doctor confidentiality clause and appointed a SHIELD psychologist who may very well be one of HYDRA… Can you even fathom what that means?”

“Miss, something’s coming your way.” As soon as JARVIS alerted her of the danger, she saw James jump in front of her and catch a shield in his metallic hand.

“It means, you lost.” A male voice said with glee in his tone as he revealed himself with Steve by his side, wearing… Instead of the vibrant red, blue and white uniform, there he was in a black and red suit with HYDRA’s symbol where the star used to be… Even his shield was black and red with the octopus on it.

“Stane.” Toni said disdainfully as she clenched her jaw and fists. Immediately, Fury uncorked his gun and pointed it at Stane just as the rest of the SHIELD agents followed suit… No, half of the SHIELD agents followed through while the other pointed their own weapons on the first half… “Do you fucking believe me now, Director?”

Everyone was on high alert… All of the Avengers battle ready, waiting for someone to initiate the fight. “Oh baby girl, you sure have changed since the last time I saw you.”

Toni seethed at him. “Don’t call me that…”

“What should I call you?” Stane’s voice was mocking. “Toni, perhaps?” She flinched at that. “See, we had several conversations with Steven here… He told us all about your betrayal.” He shook his head looking at her with eyes filled with pity. “You were as weak as you were full of potential… Howard at least got one thing right.” Toni knew he was trying to rile her up,; she knew that, and still she could feel rage bubble inside her. “It was only a matter of time before your particular time bomb exploded in our faces. But we were prepared for that day… We made sure to be. Because as much as you craved…” The way he said the word made her shiver. “Belonging somewhere… It was practically impossible for someone as weak as you to belong with HYDRA. We knew that, but you didn’t, so we entertained you because you were useful… So goddamn useful in a way, no one could ever be. You were the Golden Goose, after all. Then when Steven came into the picture, we knew we finally had our final piece of the puzzle, and it was only a matter of time before he swayed… Before he was ready to comply. He’s such a vulnerable thing, I can see the appeal, really. I don’t blame you for falling for him, Natasha. I mean how could you not? He was after all your last trigger word, wasn’t he? He was an important part of who you are as a person, long before HYDRA adopted you.” Everyone was looking at Toni, now, except James who already knew the story… He was busy cataloguing all of the snipers present around them as he took note of the red dots on every single one of them. “So tell me Toni…” He said her name with all the disdain he could muster. “How does it feel to know that despite all your efforts in saving him, we still ended up owning him?”

Suddenly, all she could see was red as she lunged at Stane with a single minded focused. She was about to get to the smiling bastard except Steve stopped her with a well-placed punch to the stomach that sent her flying backwards and to the ground. “Toni!!” James yelled at her, but didn’t dare move until he knew exactly how HYDRA’s going to play this.

Toni lifted herself into a kneeling position, gasping and holding her stomach with a trembling hand; her eyes were tearing up and blood was running down the side of her mouth as Stane laughed. “You gonna cry, baby girl?” Toni spit blood to the side. “That’s a stupid move you pulled there.” Toni was trying to catch her breath as she moaned in pain, squeezing her eyes shut. “You remember right? That order only comes through pain. I’ll just have Steven here, remind you of that. Give you a taste of your own betrayal.”

As if on cue, Steve took out his gun and pointed at Toni, getting ready to fire. “Hail HYDRA.” He stated and was going to pull the trigger until it was knocked right out of his hand by his own shield which James sent flying towards him. And just like that, the battle horn sounded, and snipers began shooting at them, aiming bullets at all of the very human Avengers while firing tranquilizers at the Hulk who was pissed enough to jump up to the Compound and begin tossing them around, and taking them one after the other.

James was busy going one on one against Steve who had a single minded focus of neutralizing him and getting him out of the way. “What’s happened with you, punk?! Snap out of it!!”

Natasha and Clint were busy taking down the HYDRA agents swarming out of the Compound while Sam was coming to blows with Rumlow who’s been apparently freed.

Toni was still trying to stand back up, swaying on her feet as she groaned out. “JARVIS, the suit… Plea- Ughhh.” Stane was suddenly in front of her, holding her by the hair with one hand while the other caught her wrists pretty firmly.

He was smiling predatorily at her while whispering to her. “You’ve always been weak, and you always will be. There is no winning this, sweetie. There is no staying alive. You lose, Natasha… You lose.”

She felt his gun settle on her stomach and spat at him before mumbling back. “We’ll see about that.”

Suddenly her chest was encased with armor and she was firing the Unibeam at Stane who was sent flying backwards and straight onto a tree as the rest of her suit assembled around her. “You seriously thought I would come unprepared?” She flew up the battlefield and looked around. “JARVIS do me a favor and light up those snipers will you?”

“It would be my genuine pleasure, Miss.” Numerous miniature air-to-air missiles were fired from the shoulder pods, helping Hulk get rid of the snipers and making them focus on the battle happening down on the ground.

As soon as the two of them landed down, Hulk was off helping Natasha, Clint, Sam and the SHIELD agents handle the HYDRA agents. Toni was in the middle of doing the same when she felt something land on her back and she was sent crashing down on the ground. “Oh this looks important.” Rumlow’s voice sounded behind her, just as he yanked out the HUD plug out and she lost visual inside the suit.

“JARVIS!!!”

“I’ve lost visual, miss! Agent Rumlow damaged the connection!” Toni’s faceplate lifted off, and she fired her thrusters, catching him off guard and making him fall down on the ground.

When she turned around to face him, it all happened in slow motion. He already had his gun pointed at her face, and his finger on the trigger in the process of pushing it… The numbers were running in her mind as she calculated if she could escape the bullet’s trajectory, but the suit’s response time was still a bit lacking, and wasn’t as smooth and quick as humans’ movement. “Guess I’ll get to kill you after all.” She heard Rumlow murmur proudly as her heart skipped a beat, knowing he was right.

She expected to be dead in the next few milliseconds; however, what she didn’t expect was to hear the sound of a gun going off and to see Rumlow fall down on the floor with blood pooling next to his head.

Toni looked up from the dead body towards a familiar black male in SHIELD attire with a smoking gun next to his side and a sneer on his face. “Not on my watch, you won’t.” He met Toni’s eyes and explained. “I’ve been wanting to do that ever since he joined SHIELD, but work ethics stopped me.”

Toni felt the corner of her lips twitch up as she responded while firing at some of the HYDRA agents attacking the Avengers. “Oh I like you…”

“The name’s James Rhodes. But hell, we’re fighting on the same side you may as well call me Rhodey.”

“I may as well. I’m Toni… Um… Stark.”

“I know who you are.” He smiled at her kindly, just as he turned around and fired at a HYDRA agent coming their way. “You might not remember, but we met at MIT…”

She sighed. “We did? I don’t remember.”

“I don’t blame you, I know what happened to you… Maybe when we are not in a life and death situation, we’ll reconnect.”

“Maybe we will.” Toni spotted Stane standing triumphantly at the side, and she seethed. “If you’ll excuse me… There’s someone I have to take care of.” 

JARVIS alarmed her, alarm clear in his voice. “Miss, Sergeant Barnes’ earplugs were knocked out of his ears. He’s vulnerable to the trigger words.”

Her head snapped around to where James was engaging Steve as she modified her trajectory. “желание. Ржaвый. Семнадцать. Рассвет. Печь. Девять. Добросердечный. Возвраще-…” (Longing. Rusted. Seventeen. Daybreak. Furnace. Nine. Benign. Homeco-…) Steve said as James groaned and put his hands on his head.

“James!!!” Toni landed next to him and fired a repulsor at Steve, sending him a few steps back and cutting the sequence off.

Toni kneeled down in front of James calling out at him. “James… Come on, please answer me.”

James was breathing heavily next to her as he nodded, looking at her with fearful and grateful eyes. “I’m fine… Fine.”

Toni got up and stood in front of a hostile Steve. “You need to snap out of whatever daze they put you in, Steve.”

“You need to stand down.” He retorted before lunging at her.

Toni blocked his jabs as much as possible. “I can do this all day.”

Steve faltered a bit before hitting her square in the chest, right where the arc reactor sat. The power in the suit flickered a bit as Toni stared at Steve, stunned. The Captain only smirked at her before going in again, only James was catching him and throwing him away while standing in front of her.

“Stevie, just stop fighting!” James called out at him. “Snap out of it.”

“You keep saying to snap out of it. Maybe I don’t want to?”

“What lies did they feed you huh?!!” Toni scowled at him. “You’re stronger than this, Steve!”

“Surrendering felt good.”

“You meant… Temptation was too strong to ignore.” Toni told him, looked at him pointedly and Steve frowned at that.

“Yes…”

“Steven don’t let them get you distracted.” Stane said as he came up behind her and James. “They want to shake your beliefs.”

“You must not be doing very well in this brainwashing department, Stane, if his beliefs are so easily shaken up… I mean  we’ve already proved that by defecting, James and me, but really I appreciate your perseverance.”

“Are you sure about that?” Stane said and Steve attacked Toni while she was distracted. “желание. (Longing)”

“No stop.” Toni croaked out as Steve went all out with his punching, damaging the arc reactor’s casing while James was screaming and lunging at Stane.

“Ржaвый. Семнадцать. Рассвет. Печь. (Rusted. Seventeen. Daybreak. Furnace.)”

“Steve stop please! I have to help him! I have to help h-…” Toni choked on her words as Steve once again punched her chest breaking the arc reactor’s casing.

“Девять. Добросердечный. возвращение на родину. (Nine. Benign. Homecoming.)”

Toni felt helpless as she scrambled up to fire a repulsor at Stane only for the beam to be intercepted by Steve’s shield before he was in front of her slamming his shield right over the arc reactor, effectively disabling the suit.

“Один. грузовой вагон. (One. Freight Car.)”

“JAMES!!!” The Sergeant suddenly fell silent as only his heavy breathing could be heard amidst all the chaos.

“солдат? (Soldier?)”

“я готов отвечать.” The Winter Soldier stood up and looked straight at Stane as Toni let out a sob.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go!   
> Thank you for all the support.


	11. Chapter 11

 

* * *

 

_“JAMES!!!” The Sergeant suddenly fell silent as only his heavy breathing could be heard amidst all the chaos._

_“солдат? (Soldier?)”_

_“я готов отвечать.” The Winter Soldier stood up and looked straight at Stane as Toni let out a sob._

* * *

 

 

“JARVIS… I need back-up. I nee-”

“I’ve alerted the Avengers to your situation, Miss… Please hold on.” The suit was powered down around her, and she couldn’t move, she couldn’-

“Eliminate her.” Stane ordered, and James turned towards her with a single-minded focus.

The two super-soldiers stood over her as if readying themselves to land the final blow.

“Get her out of the suit.” James moved in to do as told and pushed the button that had the suit unfold and reveal Toni underneath it. Just as he was about to drag her out of the suit, Toni activated the flares in it and managed to spring up and put a little space between her and the super soldiers.

“You can’t run away, Natasha.” Stane told her with an evil smile. “This is the end.”

“My name’s Toni, and I’m a Stark… Stark men and women are made of iron.” She seethed and took a fighting stance. The Winter Soldier and Captain Amer- HYDRA attacked her. “You guys will really regret this.” She shook her head before engaging them in a fight.

It was obvious she was going to be defeated, but like hell will she go down without a fight… Turns out she would end up going down as powerful jabs to her stomach once again made her fall on her knees, blood dripping from her mouth. “I told you not to let HYDRA win, Captain America. You’re doing an awful job so far.” She looked up at Steve before tripping him up with her foot, standing up and landing an uppercut punch to James who stumbled back. “And you, James. You were supposed to have my back. Jarvis will throw a fit.” James frowned at her, a sliver of recognition sparkling in his eyes… Toni needed to take advantage of that, unfortunately Steve was already on her throwing her over his shoulder and down onto the ground before straddling her, and landing successive blows to her jaw. She was pretty sure she had a concussion by now, but she still managed to do an arm lock on Captain HYDRA which ended up getting her thrown about twenty feet away from him, but also managed to land her right next to Captain HYDRA’s SHIELD…

A small reprieve was all she needed before she gathered Steve’s shield and held onto it as she faced them once again. “James, come on. Please! I’m the one who made that work of art.” She pointed at his metal arm. “HYDRA gave you the mission of protecting me a while back when I was sent to MIT… You’re supposed to protect me, not eliminate me… I’m not the enemy, I’m not!” The Winter Soldier fired at her with his gun, but Toni’s reflexes were pretty quick and she covered herself with the shield. “I told you I’d remind you… I’d remind you you’re James whenever you wouldn’t remember.” The Winter Soldier fired again. “James please!”

Only this distraction was all Steve needed before he knocked the shield out of her hand and caught her by the throat lifting her up and off the ground. She gasped and her hands went straight to his, trying desperately to pry them off of her. “Steve…!” She croaked out as she wheezed, attempting to get the much needed oxygen, but failing miserably. “Please…” She struggled to get his hand of her. “Stop, Steve…” She felt her eyes tearing up as she shuddered, feeling herself getting lightheaded. “Y-You said… You’d come back for me… N-Now would be a good time to do so.”

“Don’t listen to h-…” Suddenly, a gunshot could be heard followed by a thud. As Steve turned around, the two of them got an eyeful of Stane’s body on the ground with a bullet hole in between his eyes… James’ gun was directed towards him before being pointed at Steve.

“Let her go.” He said coldly as if he didn’t quite snap out of his Winter Soldier state, but his mission objectives merely shifted.

“Steve please…” Tears fell down on her cheeks as her breathing became labored. “Please!” She urged Steve who only tightened his hold, and Toni sobbed while James’ finger was going to pull the trigger. “D-Don’t!” James looked at her confused, torn between pulling the trigger and listening to her.

“Toni…!” James scowled at her as he readjusted his aim once again ready to fire, but still giving Toni the time she so obviously requested.

“Steve…” She sobbed again as she took faltering breaths and her vision began to darken at the edges.

“This is your last warning, Rogers. Let her go now, or I’ll incapacitate you.” Steve’s hand tightened its hold, and Toni wheezed. “I’m not going to let you turn into a murderer, Steve!” James growled urgently.

Toni knew she was quickly losing consciousness, so as a last attempt to appeal to his true self, Toni’s hands stopped trying to claw his hands off of her and instead went over to his face, caressing his cheeks tenderly. It made him frown confusedly at her as she struggled to whisper the words out. “I lo-…”

As if burned, Steve let go suddenly, looking down in horror at his hands before his eyes met the sight of Toni down on the ground heaving desperate breaths, hands around her throat, trembling. “W-What have I done…?”

“Steve.” James called out and Steve turned towards him to realize he still had a gun pointed at him.

“Bucky?” Steve frowned and his hands came up to his head. “What happened? W-Why am I fighting you? I d-don’t…”

“That psychiatrist… She’s HYDRA.” Toni explained in between breaths. “She may have been… using the Faustus Method… on you.”

Steve’s eyes were filled with horror as he stared at Toni. “I’m sorry… Oh my God… I’m so sorry…”

“It’s… It’s okay.” She tried to stand up only for her to sway and lose her balance. Thankfully, James was already by her side, so he caught her before she could fall back down.

“Miss, I believe the situation’s been contained…” JARVIS informed her as Toni sighed in relief.

“Cap!!” Sam came flying towards them, landing in front of them and looking at James and Toni. “Is he back?”

“I hope so.” James commented before shooting a pointed look towards Steve who was looking confusedly at them.

Toni chuckled at that before coughing at the roughness of her voice. Natasha and Clint soon joined them along with a dazed Bruce… Bruce took an assessing look at Toni. “We need medical… She might be bleeding internally.”

James and Steve both got that pinched look on their faces. “None of this is your fault.” Toni told them as she struggled to stay awake. “The medical help would be deeply appreciated, though.”

“The medical team is in route, Ms. Stark.” Coulson informed her.

Natasha nodded at Toni. “You’re a mess…”

“That’s the understatement of the year.” Toni stated in between her steadying breaths.

Steve stumbled back before his legs gave out under him. “None of this was supposed to happen… It shouldn’t have been so easy for them to… To…”

“Don’t blame yourself, Steve. Just stop… No one here’s blaming you and least of all judging you.” James muttered. “Not Toni and certainly not me.” He glared at the newcomer. “The one who should be blamed however is your Director.” He seethed at him. “You may not be HYDRA, but you may as well have handed Steve to them on a silver plate.”

Fury managed to look apologetic and dejected. “I’m sorry. You’re right…”

“We sure as hell are!!” Toni said.

“Don’t get agitated, Toni… Relax.” James whispered at her, gently carding his hands through her hair.

Steve watched the interaction in front of him, and couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy deep in his gut. “What happens now?”

“We get the world back on its feet.” Coulson announced.

“This shouldn’t be a problem… Give me a laptop and it should be solved in a couple of hours.” Toni said as spots appeared in her vision.

“I think the Avengers can hold the fort until you’re better Toni…”

“Good idea… Very good, James.” She sighed and her body became mush in his arms as she relaxed completely. “Well then… I think I’m gonna take a nap.”

 

 

 

Next time she woke up, she was dazed and lightheaded, but conscious enough to know she’s in a hospital different from the one SHIELD had… Moving a bit to improve her posture, she realized she wasn’t alone… Steve and James were on either side of her bed, sleeping.

Toni stared at Steve for a while, studying his peaceful features and the slow rise and fall of his chest, before a voice interrupted her contemplation.

“Hey… Hey you’re awake!” She looked at James who was just waking up, leaning forward towards her and whispering at her. “How are you feeling?”

“High…” She croaked out before coughing a bit.

James snorted and took the cup of water on her bedside table, offering it for her to take a sip. “Do you remember what happened?”

Swallowing down the water, she felt comfortable enough to answer. “Yeah… We took down HYDRA.”

“Yes we did.” James nodded.

Toni frowned before chancing a glance at Steve. “Why is he here? Why are any of you here?”

“We weren’t going to let our best girl wake up alone.”

Toni felt her face heat up. “Oh.” She replied dumbly, and took a deep breath while her hand moved up and settled on James’ cheek. Her fingers were trailing over his face with such delicacy, it made the sergeant take a shaky breath, close his eyes and lean into her touch as his hand caught hers and squeezed it. “How are you feeling, Innamorato?”

As if by magic, James’s tension eased all of a sudden, and he let out a long sigh before answering. “Used.” His hand tightened around hers for a second. “I was going to kill you. I hurt you…”

“But you didn’t… And James that’s what counts. I don’t blame you, I do-…”

“But I blame myself… I blame myself for not noticing when the earplugs slipped out and I couldn’t hear JARVIS’s voice anymore. I blame myself because I took you out of whatever little protection you still had, because I fucking shot at you twice… Twice, Ton-…”

“But the Winter Soldier never misses, does he?” Toni interrupted him. “He never misses… It would have been so easy for you to end your mission as soon as it was given by taking out your gun and shooting me. I didn’t have a shield with me back then. So what stopped you, Innamorato?!” James didn’t answer. “What stopped you?!!” She insisted, but when she was only met with silence, Toni continued. “You were giving me a fighting chance… You were giving me enough time for me to get to you. Because you knew, didn’t you? You knew that if I managed to shift your loyalty from HYDRA to me after sixty years of them fucking brainwashing you, then it would be a child’s play to repeat that same process in a much shorter time span. You knew that, the Soldier in you knew that, and you were making sure I knew that.” She took a deep breath as the hand he’s been holding went to rest over his heart. “So tell me again James, tell me all about your murder attempt!”

“I still have no idea how you managed it. No idea.”

“Managed what?”

“I never felt more alive than when you came into the organization, and I feel selfish… So selfish and ashamed because I’m the reason you ended up in HYDRA, I’m the reason your mind and body were violated by them, I’m the reason for every dark thing that happened after that and because if I had the possibility to go back in time before I kidnapped you, I would have done it again.” She could see how pained he was while admitting this. “All those years with HYDRA, the Winter Soldier was nothing more than a tool… Nothing more than a machine programmed to follow their orders. I never questioned anything, never felt anything, and never took any choice… Then you came and you were you and I was powerless, couldn’t do anything when faced with all that energy you still managed to exude even after anything. You’ve drawn me in like a moth to a flame and suddenly I gained back my humanity when you gave me that name… I felt pain, loss, guilt, regret, gratefulness, safe, home and so much love. I felt so much love all thanks to you. I knew then that HYDRA lost me, and the only reason I stayed with them is because you were there.” James looked at her with such gentle and caring eyes, they made her heart race as the heart monitor beeped loudly. James leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “The only reason I stayed anywhere is because you were there… I… I love you, Toni.” The moment was so intimate, it made her heart skip a beat, and Toni was there staring back at him, drowning in a sea of blue. James’ own hand settled on her cheek before trailing down to her lips, his metal thumb tracing her lower lip as he broke eye contact and stared down at her mouth. “I love you. I love you. I love you. So much… So much, doll.”

Toni breathed in and closed the distance between their lips, kissing James with all the emotion she could muster. Trying desperately to communicate with him everything she wants to say back, but not knowing how, Toni’s hand tangled with James’ brown locks as she deepened the kiss, moaning when James nipped at her bottom lip and slipped his tongue inside.

“T-Toni?! Are you ok-…” Steve opened his eyes to the loving scene of James and Toni kissing passionately and was scrambling to get up. “Oh my God! Oh, I-I’m sorry… I’m really sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll show myself out.”

The two caught by surprise immediately separated, and Toni was already catching Steve’s wrist preventing him from going anywhere. “Steve wait!”

“No, no really! Don’t stop on my account, I’m -…”

“Sit down, punk.” James’ voice turned commanding although his overall expression looked flustered and dazed.

Steve immediately dropped back down in the armchair, staring at the two of them with wide eyes. “Jerk.” He answered back, and this managed to pull a smile out of James. Steve cleared his throat before murmuring and hating himself when his voice came out slightly high. “Are you two an item, now?”

Toni looked at James. “Um… Maybe? I don’t know, we haven’t gotten to that part, but Steve this isn’t what you think.”

“It’s pretty obvious, Toni…” James commented.

“Not helping, amore mio…” When she saw his smile turn a bit more amused, she blushed before meeting Steve’s troubled and pained eyes.

“It really is…” Steve said in a slightly defeated voice. “It’s okay really… I just thought you were getting agitated, I mean the heart monitor was going crazy, but now I know why and I don’t want to dist-”

Toni’s fingers settled on his lips effectively interrupting him as Steve’s pupils dilated. “Shut up, cuore mio.” This time James’ smile turned tender and gentle as he settled back in his chair. “Let me talk, hm?” The Captain slowly nodded as he stared at her, patiently waiting. “James and I, it’s been… There for a long time. We just got around to saying it to each other… He loves me and I love him.” Steve’s ever expressive eyes seem to have wilted a bit as he processed the information. “But I love you, too, cuore mio.” Her fingers trailed over her cheek, caressing it gently before dropping back down to her lap.

“I love you, too.” Steve answered back. “But what does it mean…? For us?”

“I’ll be happy to take you two, if you’ll take me.”

“’f course we’ll take you, idiot.” Steve was quick to reply. “But Bucky and I, we um… How are we going to make it work?”

“We can share. We’ve shared so much when we were young as far as I’m concerned… I’ll be honored to share Toni with you.”

“You make it sound so dirty, amore mio.” Toni commented with a faked shiver while settling back in bed.

James smirked at that. “I try.”

 Steve shook his head before standing up and leaning down and over Toni to kiss her.

“This is surprisingly hot.” The sergeant said as he squirmed in his seat.

Toni and Steve’s kiss was interrupted as the two burst out in laughter.

“Jerk.” Steve managed to say in between laughter.

“Punk.” James smiled back at him.

“You two are gonna be the death of me.” Toni sighed contentedly. “I’m pretty sure this is how I’m gonna die… Cause of death will be ‘She had one Super Soldier too many’.”

“Well... It doesn’t sound like a bad way to go.” Steve said while trying to suppress a chuckle.

 

 


End file.
